You Made Your Bed
by Fading into the background
Summary: Jyn and Cassian have finally admitted their feelings, but navigating a new relationship has it's own ups and downs. It always seems to end in bed though. A sequel to Failure To Communicate.
1. Agree to Disagree

"Jyn, stop."

Jyn let out a long suffering, and he would say overdramatic, sigh and flopped back on the bed and away from him. "Are you really going to read reports all night? You just got back."

"I was only gone two days," he countered with a small smile before going back to his reading. He ignored her when her hands crept back to his sides and under the shirt she had successfully untucked during her earlier incursion.

"I'm lonely," she whined near his ear.

"Go find Bodhi," he said making a note on the report.

"You want me to fuck Bodhi?"

"What?" He looked over at her wide-eyed. How in the hell had she drawn that conclusion?

"I'm sorry," Jyn said shrugging. "Was me kissing your neck, feeling you up, and saying I'm lonely not obvious enough? I would like to have sex, not hang out with a friend." She seemed to think about it and tagged on, "Please."

"As much as I would like that," Cassian said with a small smile, and honestly he would love to sink into her for the rest of the night and forget about everything else, "I need to get these to Draven ASAP."

"I doubt five to ten minutes of sex would significantly slow you down."

Cassian rolled his eyes. Jyn was always down for quick and dirty. It was him who often had to teach her the value of patience in bed. He liked to believe she was slowly coming around to his way of thinking. Although in this particular instance maybe if they just, no, there was one other obstacle he'd forgotten momentarily, so he made his excuses. "Jyn, just let me finish these, we'll go to dinner, and then we can take all the time we want."

Her bottom lip came out in a pout that she knew he found adorable. He hadn't told her as much, but somehow she'd figured it out all the same if how much she liked to use it on him was any indication. "But I want sex now. You don't want me?"

"You always want sex," he said wryly. Not that he usually minded. He couldn't say he hadn't been enjoying having a regular and enthusiastic partner in bed, or even that he hadn't distracted her from her own reports in the past.

"I had a long dry spell," she countered. "Making up for lost time. Isn't that the point of a boyfriend? I bet Han wouldn't complain."

Cassian grunted at that and let her win - tossing the datapad aside and tugging her to him. He rolled her underneath him and was mouthing at her neck when a crash had him jerking back.

Her hands caught his neck and she smiled. "It's just Rogue." He glanced over to see that the loth-cat had knocked electrobinoculars off his desk and was calmly grooming himself. Cassian moved to extract himself from her.

"Cassian," she whined.

"It's too weird."

"It's a loth-cat," Jyn argued with a sigh clearly sensing where this was going, as they'd had the argument before. "He doesn't know or care when we're having sex."

"Sorry, I'm not into voyeurism."

"It's not like he's watching and getting off on it," Jyn said sitting up as he pulled his datapad back to him. "This is silly. You're going to have to get over this. I'm not putting him out every time we want to have sex. It's not like it was any better the time he didn't want to go and just sat outside and yowled at the door."

Cassian wasn't budging. It was kriffing weird and he didn't entirely believe Jyn when she said the loth-cat didn't know what was happening. "Do you know how disconcerting it is to look up from having sex and make eye contact with a staring loth-cat?" It'd happened twice already and then he'd declared no sex when Rogue was in the room.

Jyn sighed and got up shooing the loth-cat into the 'fresher and shutting the door. "Better?"

Rogue started to meow and Cassian raised an eyebrow. "Not really."

"He isn't looking."

"A loth-cat meowing through the door isn't exactly mood setting, whether it's the 'fresher door or the door to the hallway."

"Who needs a mood?" Jyn asked with her hands on her hips. "I bet if we got started you could power through."

Cassian made a face. Jyn was sometimes more forceful than she was seductive. It was usually endearing, but not in this particular argument. "Again, not really convincing me here. Just hold it together till he goes out hunting. It's not like you're going to die from lack of sex."

"Cassian," she said dragging out his name in exasperation and striding forward. She tugged the datapad out of his hand and straddled him on the edge of the bed. "Come on. I might die, you don't know."

"No," he said losing a bit of his resolve and trying to muffle a laugh before attempting a different tact. "How would you like it if Kay watched or was talking through the door?"

"I don't know," Jyn said biting his ear. "If Kay watched we'd have a recording of it." She ground against him and he let his eyes drift shut. "That'd be sort of nice to have for when you're off base. Sometimes I need you saying my name to come, and my imagination doesn't do it."

He groaned into her hair and grabbed her hips. How do you say no to that? "You're impossible." He kissed her and she sank into him for a moment, before a loud clattering sound came from the 'fresher. Oh right. He pushed her back. "But you aren't winning this one."

"Shut the kriff up, Rogue," Jyn yelled. "I'm trying to get laid out here."

Cassian laughed at that and dumped her onto the bed as he stood and moved to the desk with his datapad, picking up the electrobinoculars and putting them back. "Let him out."

"But then you won't sleep with me," she pouted.

"Jyn, you're not going to sway me."

"I'll do that thing with my mouth you like so much." Well, that was certainly an effective argument, he thought, knowing exactly what she was referring to. Something else fell in the 'fresher and she glared at the door. "That's it. You're going to Uncle Bodhi." She got up and opened the door only to have the loth-cat shoot out and dive under the bed.

"Jyn, just leave the poor thing alone."

"I'm horny and he's cock blocking me." She dropped to all fours and started planning an attack under the bed. He wondered if it was wrong to be a little flattered by her persistence.

"Just wait till after dinner. You know he'll go out hunting when we leave for the mess hall."

"That's it!" she said popping back up and grabbing his arm. "We're going to fake going to dinner."

"Are you trying to trick Rogue into leaving?"

"If that's what it takes. Come on."

"Jyn, I'm going to finish these reports." It wasn't that he didn't want to, but this was getting ridiculous, and if he said yes now they'd be faking a loth-cat out for the rest of their lives.

"We've only been together a few months. How are reports already more interesting than me?" she whined. "Are you sure you aren't into droids? Han thought you might be." He snorted at that and threw a datastick at her. Rogue shot out to bat the thing off her lap and then rolled under the bed again. "Stupid creature."

"I'm not the one who wants Kay to watch, and don't take it out on Rogue," Cassian chastised lightly going back to his datapad. He ignored her when he felt her press up against him fifteen minutes later and rest her chin on his shoulder, clever hands working up under his shirt. Ok so maybe he wanted her, but he could still feel eyes on the back of his neck. "Jyn."

"Mmmhmm?" Her lips traced the shell of his ear and he fought a shiver. A hand slid down to his belt buckle and he caught it reluctantly.

"I can feel him staring at us."

"He's not. He's under the bed."

"Bantha shit." He twisted his head to look and found the loth-cat on top of the bed staring at them unblinkingly. Jyn groaned and retreated from him, before reaching over his shoulder to grab his blaster and aim it at the cat. "Jyn?" he asked shocked. Rogue just looked on unmoved.

"It's on stun," she defended, but he noticed she couldn't actually pull the trigger.

He laughed and pulled the blaster out of her limp hold. "You are not stunning Rogue just to get laid."

"I've done worse."

"No you haven't."

"I once killed a man just for his shoelaces."

Cassian laughed again. She was being absolutely ridiculous tonight, and he was thoroughly enjoying being on the receiving end of her relaxed playful nature, which she so rarely shared with anyone, and which had been reserved more for Bodhi and Solo before they had admitted their feelings to each other. "No you didn't."

"What if we kept our clothes on?" Jyn offered staring at him in the chair with an assessing look. And you couldn't accuse Jyn of not being a problem solver. "I mean I'd have to take my pants off, but I'm not the one with the issue. You could be almost fully clothed."

"It's not about nudity. I change in front of Rogue all the time. It's about not wanting to be stared at while I have sex. I'm telling you the last time it happened was when you were coming and he looked concerned. I cannot have a concerned loth-cat wondering why his mom is screaming when I'm bringing her to climax. It's just not sexy."

"Maybe he was just concerned that you hadn't come yet," Jyn offered and he rolled his eyes. "Rogue is considerate like that."

"Not making this any better."

"I could be quiet. Then he'd just think we were sitting funny."

"I don't want you to be quiet." And he didn't. From the little he'd gotten out of her about her sexual history it was always fast and in inconvenient places. He didn't want that between them. He liked the luxury of a safe space where they could take their time and she could shout as loud as she wanted to. Even if she sometimes moaned over dramatically just to get a laugh. He liked laughing in bed with her.

The door to his quarters opened and he glanced over to see Kay, who was really the only one besides Jyn who entered unannounced whenever he felt like it. "You need something, Kay?"

"Draven needs those reports. He accosted me in the hallway, which was uncalled for as my portion of the reports were timely. Is Jyn Erso distracting you again? I do not know why her delinquency always gets me in trouble."

"He'd be done already if he'd just fucked me when I asked the first time," Jyn groused and Cassian shot her an unimpressed look.

"Are you already done with her?" Kay asked twisting to stare down at Cassian. "If so I will have to recalculate some things. I do not predict Jyn Erso taking being set aside very well. It will severely hamper her desire to protect you. It will also more than likely turn Bodhi Rook against you if you are the party at fault, maybe even if you are not the party at fault. Not to mention the greater social repercussions on a base where-"

"Kay, we're still together and no one is setting anyone aside," Cassian said hoping to stop the droid before he really got going.

"Then why will you not meet her sexual needs? Is this not the point of humans pairing off in the first place?"

Cassian groaned and slapped his palm to his face. "Kay."

"The droid's got a point," Jyn crowed.

"Jyn Erso is much more pleasant to interact with when you have satisfied her, Cassian," the droid lectured. "Are you unable? You did not suffer any injuries on our last mission that I am aware of. You are young for symptoms of erectile dysfunction."

Jyn started laughing and he glared. "Kay, that's not the trouble. Let it go."

"He can't have sex with Rogue in the room," Jyn supplied with the sound of laughter still clinging to her voice.

"Why not? Is there an allergy that I am unaware of that affects the function of your penis? It is not in your medical files."

Jyn burst into more laughter and Cassian debated using the blaster to stun himself and get him out of this conversation. "The loth-cat stares. It's weird and not a turn on."

"I do not understand," Kay said watching him. "You have had sex while being watched before."

"Excuse me?" Jyn asked suddenly sitting upright in the bed and paying attention. "When?"

"Kay!"

"What? It's not like it betrays any classified information. Cassian has had missions where surveillance during a sexual encounter were necessary."

"You had sex while other intelligence officers were watching?"

"We're professionals," Cassian said firmly. "You do your best to give the agent as much privacy as possible and never talk about it again. It's not like they were in the room staring at me. Just bugs or recordings."

"Still," Jyn argued. "You can have sex with your co-worker in your earpiece, but can't fuck in front of a pet?"

"It's not like I enjoyed it!"

Jyn's eyes narrowed. "Are you fucking people on missions now?"

"Cassian has made it clear he will no longer take those missions," Kay interrupted. "Draven was not pleased."

"Draven can blow a wampa," Jyn said standing up and Cassian snorted. She crawled under the bed and came out with a slightly struggling loth-cat. "Here," she said thrusting him at Kay.

"I do not want it," the droid said looking unimpressed.

"Cassian can't have sex with him here. I will remain stubborn and irritable if I don't have sex with Cassian, which will eventually be taken out on you. It's me annoying you or Rogue annoying you. Which one is worse?"

The droid gave what amounted to a long-suffering sigh and took the loth-cat. "Cassian, secure her compliance, and then finish those reports. I don't know why I'm always punished for human problems." With that Kay turned and exited the room with Rogue in arm.

"Well, that was awful," Cassian said glancing at her. "And I'm not sure what part of that you thought would help get me in the mood. Now I'm just aggravated."

"Poor Cassian," Jyn cooed moving to straddle his lap again.

"Seriously, I liked it better when you and Kay hated each other."

She grinned and kissed him tugging at the hair at the nape of his neck. "Kay was just being helpful. You should hear him defend your sexual prowess to Han whenever he cracks a joke about you and me. Now that's something worth being embarrassed about." Cassian closed his eyes and hoped she was joking, but didn't ask for fear of the answer. "I'm glad you aren't fucking other people for the Alliance anymore. You won't miss it will you?"

He stood up lifting her under the ass and she wrapped her legs around him gamely. "No," he answered dropping her down on the bed and following to hover over her. He brushed the bangs out of her eyes. "Although it was certainly less exhausting than keeping up with your demands."

She grinned up at him and rolled her hips against him. "If you really don't want to you don't have to."

"Now she's reasonable," Cassian muttered rolling his eyes to the ceiling and running a hand up to her breast. She arched for him and he used his other hand to tug her hips closer.

"We could just go to dinner," she offered as her hand drifted over the front of his pants to cup him.

That was certainly not an option now unless he wanted to take a cold shower first. "I didn't think you'd survive till then," he teased.

"It's your fault."

"How do you figure that?" he asked reaching to help her get her shirt off.

"I've never had good sex before. I used to go months and be perfectly content with my own hands. I honestly didn't get what the big deal was." He groaned into her throat for that comment. "Now I want you all the time. You ruined me. You definitely should have never done that thing with your tongue if you wanted any sleep."

"Yeah, well it's as much your fault as it is mine," he argued kissing down her neck. "If you hadn't made that one noise I wouldn't have had to make you make it again and again and again."

Jyn gave a breathy little laugh and tugged his shirt off. "Hurry up and fuck me, Captain. You've got reports to do."

He laughed into her chest. "If you think for a second I'm going to reward you for that kind of behavior you're wrong. This is going to be anything but quick. The reports are already irreparably late." She gave a little whine underneath him. "No complaining, you brought this on yourself."

"Cassian?"

He hummed a question into her skin.

"I still want a recording."

He laughed. "Fine, but we're getting a holorecorder not using Kay."

"Of course we're not using Kay," Jyn said reaching for his belt. "I already sat through him explaining how best to please you once. I don't need to be getting pointers live."

Cassian pulled back at that. "He what? What did he even say?"

"He apparently aggregated all the porn you've watched over the years and had a comprehensive list of your likes and dislikes."

And Cassian was back to wanting to die. "No, he didn't."

"He did," Jyn said smiling. "You really should stop allowing him full access to all your files and intranet searches."

"I don't 'allow' him anything," Cassian grumbled. "He does what he wants. Apparently I have a type."

"If it helps, your tastes have improved significantly since your teen years when it was all just about giant breasts and your brief flirtation with girl on girl action."

"Jyn."

"I also have to say I appreciate your lack of interest in butt stuff."

"Jyn."

"I never really got anal sex to be honest. Like I get it for guys, prostate and all, but not so much my thing. Had a guy try to 'accidentally' slip it in once and I stabbed him in the thigh with a vibroknife."

"Jyn."

"Your penchant for blondes was a bit disconcerting though. Kay wanted me to dye my hair."

"I'm begging you to stop."

"Given I always liked my men a little bulkier than you before I met you so I suppose we can let that slide."

"This really isn't a turn on."

"I'd give outdoor sex a go, but Hoth really isn't right for it. Next mission we get together maybe."

"Stop talking."

"Secure my compliance," she said with a saucy little smile. That was a challenge he was willing to rise to.

* * *

 **A/N: So I thought I was done with this particular story line, but apparently the characters had other ideas. Just to be clear I stand firmly on Cassian's side on this one. Pets watching you have sex is weird - I don't care if they don't know what's going on. Let me know what you think!**


	2. Blondes

"Jyn, really?"

"What?" she asked playing dumb and trying to hide a smirk.

"It's not an undercover op," Cassian said. "You don't need to be in disguise."

"We're using fake names, why not a new look?" Cassian glared, but she just returned his look with a small smile and toyed with the ends of her blonde wig.

"We're about fifteen minutes out," Han announced stepping out of the cockpit. He gave a whistle. "I like the new look, kid."

"Yeah? Think it suits me?" Jyn gave a twirl showing of the figure hugging outfit and long blonde locks that were sure to make her fit in at any club in Coruscant.

"You'll have to beat them off with a truncheon," Han said with a grin. He'd seen her in action more than enough to know she was more than able.

"Cassian doesn't like it," she said with an over exaggerated pout.

"He go blind?" Han quipped.

"It's really unnecessary for recruiting," Cassian said blandly, clearly not wanting to get into it in front of Han.

"I don't know, an attractive female never hurts when trying to get someone to join up," Han joked heading back to the cockpit for landing.

"See? Maybe I can seduce him into joining up?" Jyn offered trying for innocence.

"Don't make me regret suggesting you for this mission."

Jyn grinned. "If I remember correctly it was the information I gathered from Elwin that made this possible. And it's Kaya who this potential defector is here to see."

"Yes, and Kaya isn't a blonde," Cassian stated.

Jyn laughed at that. "Yes, but the contact doesn't know what I look like. Elwin told him to be wearing a red shirt, a ring on his left middle finger, and be drinking a Corellian Sunrise so we could identify him and decide if we wanted to approach. So it doesn't really matter what I look like. Besides if we approach and he seems like a bad recruit it would be better that he doesn't know what I look like. You should probably disguise yourself too. "

"We wouldn't be recruiting him at all if I hadn't already done an extensive background check based off the information Elwin gave you," Cassian argued.

"Either way," she said with a shrug, tossing her blonde locks over her shoulder.

"I'm not into blondes," Cassian stated firmly.

"Well, it's a good thing you're not dating one then," she said easily. He shot her a chastising look and she grinned.

"I do not understand why I cannot accompany you," Kay said sourly as he walked into the room. "It is an Imperial controlled planet. I would not be out of place."

"You're liable to scare him off," Jyn said plainly. "We'll be fine. I'll make sure Cassian is safe." Cassian glared at her for that comment. She also found it infinitely amusing to comfort Kay by often talking about how she planned to look after Cassian, as if he was incapable of looking out for himself. The annoyed looks Cassian shot her were always priceless.

"This is not acceptable. You should not get shot," Kay stated.

Jyn lifted an eyebrow – that was the first time Kay had prioritized her over Cassian. "I mean I never try to, but why the concern this time?"

"According to my calculations you were most fertile a week ago when you were both on base," Kay said simply. "It would be too early to tell if you are pregnant or not and therefore we must err on the side of safety."

Jyn felt her face flushing and glowered at the droid. "I have contraceptives."

"Contraceptives fail," the droid said unperturbed. "In which case, it is unwise to get shot at."

"Kay, I'm not pregnant."

"That is currently unknown," the droid said crossly, "And Cassian is concerned about the baby."

She spun on the man in question and he had his eyes closed and a hand over his face – probably trying to manage his own frustration. "Explain," Jyn demanded.

"We were talking hypotheticals," Cassian defended. " _If_ you were pregnant I would hope Kay would protect you and the baby."

"I'm not even going to ask how you got to that hypothetical in the first place. So now he's going to freak out every single time until I get my period?" Jyn asked gesturing rudely at the droid.

"Kay, you only have to protect a baby that has been confirmed," Cassian said trying to diffuse the situation.

"Cassian, I do speak to the droids in medbay," Kay said sourly. "You have not refilled your prophylactics, which means either you are not using them or the two of you have lost interest in one another."

"I have the implant," Jyn argued.

"Doubling up on two forms of protection is safer."

Jyn tried to ignore the fact that her entire face was surely turning red. "Kay, I'm not pregnant."

"But you could be."

"But I'm not."

"Cassian is not absent minded nor does he take chance," Kay corrected. "If you are currently only using one form of birth control it means he is ok with the alternative outcome. Therefore I will monitor you with his base intentions in mind."

"Kay, no one is pregnant," Cassian said firmly, "Nor is anyone trying to get pregnant."

"Jyn Erso's blonde hair would imply otherwise," Kay argued. "She is clearly trying to entice you sexually."

Jyn burst into laughter and Cassian gave her a withering look. "What? You're the one who reprogrammed him."

"I hate both of you."

"This is factually untrue," Kay corrected and Jyn grinned.

"Kay, I'm not trying to get pregnant," Jyn said deciding to help Cassian out. "Still in the middle of a war if you haven't noticed."

"Human hormones often outweigh rationality," Kay argued. "And according to base gossip the two of you are the equivalent of teenage humans with your sexual needs."

" _What?_ " Cassian hissed.

"General knowledge on base is that the two of you have sex drives akin to the teenage members of your species. Apparently as humans age their sexual virility starts to decline and you and Jyn Erso defy this norm."

" _Why_ are people saying that?" Cassian demanded.

"I think due to the fact that you and Jyn Erso often disappear from social situation to engage in sexual activity."

Jyn stifled a laugh and Cassian glared at her. "What? They're not wrong. We made it through approximately ten minutes of Leia's birthday celebration."

"If I remember correctly that was your fault."

"I didn't hear you complaining," Jyn said pressing up against his front.

"Yes, this is how it begins," Kay said and Jyn stifled another laugh into Cassian's chest. "Next comes an excuse that even a child could see through, which is most distressing in a spy of your caliber, Cassian."

"Han did say fifteen minutes," Jyn joked.

"If you engage in sexual activity now you will most certainly be late," Kay said. "At least if past data is reliable."

Jyn smiled and pulled away from Cassian. "Better listen to the droid. He knows his stuff when it comes to oddly personal information about you."

"You say that as if he hasn't started amassing the same amount of information about you."

"Hazard of the relationship," Jyn admitted with a shrug. Honestly Kay's intrusions into their sex life bothered her less than it seemed to bother Cassian. He wasn't used to having anything to hide from Kay, but also highly valued his privacy. She'd grown up with exactly zero privacy. Saw's partisans had lived, ate, and fucked in confined spaces. Everyone knew everyone else's business and no one was shy about commenting. She'd had more than one person comment on her loss of virginity, which had been mortifying at the time.

"I'm sorry," Cassian sighed out.

She shook her head and pressed a kiss to his lips. "Doesn't bother me. It's better than C-3PO anyway."

"Your bar is so incredibly low."

Jyn shrugged and moved to strap herself in for landing. "Lucky you." Cassian snorted and quietly followed her lead. She reached out and snagged his pinky with hers. "Just to be clear it's a low bar for droids, not men."

She glanced over at him to see a light flush to his cheeks and she grinned victoriously. She loved nothing more than when she could fluster the impenetrable spy. This mission was going to be fun.

* * *

This mission sucked. Jyn stomped onto the Falcon and tried not to kick something in frustration. Han wouldn't appreciate it in the least and then she'd just have to put up with him bitching and whining as well.

It'd all been going so well too. She'd showed up and found the potential recruit. He'd been more than happy to chat with her and seemed like he'd be an easy job. As an Imperial scientist he'd be a good convert for them. She'd been just about to lead him out of the club when all hell had broken loose.

She wasn't even sure exactly what had happened, but something completely unrelated to them had set the stormtroopers off and suddenly there was a stampede inside the club as everyone tried to not be involved. The contact had fled, shoving her into the worst of the mess in the process, and she'd tried not to judge him too harshly for that. Not every defector was brave. Blaster shots had started up and she'd ducked to the side feeling her adrenalin kick into overdrive as she'd tried to navigate the panicking crowd. Something had slammed against her at one point and she'd gone down hard, but forced herself to her feet as fast as possible so as to not get trampled. She'd struggled forward towards an exit. Jyn had felt a hand tug at her elbow and she'd almost broken the arm attached before she realized it was Cassian trying to pull her out of the crush. They'd headed back to the Falcon empty handed and bruised, and Jyn more than a little pissed off.

"What the kriff happened?"

"Some drunken gambling brawl set them off," Cassian answered and while his tone was neutral she could hear the undercurrents of anger in it. She was about to argue that there was no way that was all if the stormtroopers had reacted that aggressively before Cassian filled in, "Looked like one of the people involved was the son of someone important."

"Fucker," Jyn muttered. Of course some rich snot had to destroy her first real recruitment gig with Cassian and make her look incompetent. Cassian slipped away as Han and Chewie came out of the cockpit.

"What happened?"

"Some rich asshole made a scene and blew the whole thing to hell," Jyn fumed.

"We need to run?"

"No," she said waving him off. "It wasn't anything connected to us. No need to cause a scene." She glanced back as Cassian reentered the lounge. "Cassian, do we want to stay and try to make contact again?"

"No," he said stonily and the ferocity in it made Jyn flinch. Han and Chewie didn't seem to notice, but she knew his tones well enough to know something was off. "He took a stray blaster bolt to the head. Nothing left to recruit."

"Kriffing stormtroopers," Jyn spat. No wonder Cassian was upset. That could have been a useful contact.

"Let's get out of here, Solo," Cassian said.

"Sure thing," Han said with a shrug. "You do know you're bleeding, right kid?"

"What the kriff are you talking about?" Jyn asked glaring at him.

"Your arm," Cassian answered flipping the med kit open that he'd retrieved. "Sit down."

She glanced down and realized a blaster bolt must have grazed her and blood was soaking into the material of her skintight shirt. Stupid adrenaline, masking pain. For some reason noticing the damn blast wound suddenly brought the pain roaring in and she grit her teeth and breathed out harshly.

"Jyn Erso is bleeding," Kay announced entering the room. "I predicted this."

"Solo, get us out of here," Cassian repeated sharply and the smuggler and the wookiee headed back to the cockpit. "Kay, she's fine."

"The definition of fine does not include a human's blood outside its body," Kay said and then paused thoughtfully, "Unless it is a woman who is menstruating. Even then, fine rarely applies."

"He's not wrong," Jyn said with a short laugh.

"Shirt off," Cassian commanded ignoring them both.

Jyn sighed and pulled the ruined shirt off over her head. Cassian was so worked up over nothing. It was just a blaster wound. Clean it up and throw a bacta patch on it, and she'd be right as rain.

"There is a 99.98% chance she will live," Kay said looking over the wound as Cassian mopped up the blood. "And the potential baby should not have been harmed by a flesh wound to the arm."

"Still not pregnant, Kay. But I really am fine, Cassian." The man didn't answer, just finished cleaning the wound and pressed a bacta patch to the area with perhaps a little more force than necessary. She hissed.

"Pants off," Cassian said stepping back.

"What?"

"Pants off," he repeated more strongly.

"If you guys are doing weird kinky stuff, do it in a bunk," Solo yelled from the cockpit. "And remember the conditions!"

"I never agreed to your conditions," Jyn shouted back. "And mind your business!"

"You agreed to the conditions by boarding my ship," he argued loudly. "And if we can hear Captain Kink commanding you to depants from here, then we're definitely going to hear what's next, and we've honestly got no interest."

Cassian grabbed her uninjured arm and started herding her towards the bunks with the med kit in hand. "Cassian, what?"

"Kay, find something else to do," Cassian said.

"If Jyn Erso is not currently pregnant I would advise against impregnating her on this ship," Kay said firmly. "Han Solo's conditions are not acceptable."

"Noted," Cassian said tugging Jyn into the bunk she used when she was onboard. She'd put up a bigger fight at being manhandled, but honestly she was mostly just confused.

"Cassian, what is going on?"

"Pants off."

"Are we fucking?" she asked lifting an eyebrow.

He gave her a withering look. "I'm checking for injuries and I don't need any more commentary."

"I didn't hurt my legs," Jyn argued.

"Just like you didn't feel the blaster bolt through your arm?" he asked.

"Cassian-"

"Pants. Off." She debated being stubborn, but the look on his face booked no argument, and she really didn't feel like starting a fight with him right now. It'd already been a shitty day and she didn't need to make it worse.

She sighed and started tugging at the leather pants cursing under her breath as the formfitting things stuck to her sweaty skin and proved harder to wiggle out of than anticipated. Cassian's hands reached out to help, and she registered with surprise that they were trembling slightly. She let him work the pants down to her ankles before kicking off her shoes and stepping out of them completely. Jyn stepped away and gave a slow turn.

"See? I'm fine." Cassian gave a tight nod and turned back to the med kit sorting through supplies seemingly aimlessly. "Cassian? Are you ok?"

"Nothing happened to me," he said with a shrug.

She reached out and pressed her hand to the flat of his back. He was one tense vibrating muscle under her palm "Cassian?"

"You got shot and went down," he said tightly. "I couldn't see you under the crowd. I thought-"

He stopped and Jyn pressed her front against his back wrapping her arms around his waist. She remembered the sound of his body hitting durasteel on Scarif and how he'd laid unmoving on the platform below her. Him dead and nothing she could do, no way to reach him. "Sorry." The word wasn't enough, but she didn't have anything else to give. "I'm here. I'm ok."

He twisted in her hold and tugged her into him burying his face in her hair for a moment before he swore in Festian and pushed her away from him. "This is the last time I'm going to say this. I'm not into blondes. Get that stupid wig off."

She gave a wet laugh and started tugging pins out. Cassian reached up to help her and pulled the wig off tossing it to the side before pulling her back to him and burying his nose into her real sweaty strands.

"I love you," she said and it was all that she could give that was more than 'I'm sorry' and less than 'forgive me,' because she did feel sorry that he'd had to think she was dead if only for a moment, but she wasn't going to stop putting herself in danger for their cause. It was the most she had to offer, and she'd never given it so directly.

His hands pulled her closer and she felt his lips on the crown of her head. "I love you too." And it was the first time he'd said it openly as well. He moved them back towards the bed and she welcomed his weight on top of her, their lips connecting with a need they couldn't express in words.

His mouth worked its way down her neck and over to the bacta patch on her arm. "I thought I'd lost you."

"I'm here," she said tugging on his hair and bringing him back up. "I'm fine."

He sighed and buried his face into her neck pressing his lips against her pulse. "I love you," he whispered again like the act was freeing. Like the words had been caught up inside him and driving him mad.

"Cassian," she said softly. "I'm ok." He lifted his head and kissed her and she found herself annoyed by how much clothing he was wearing a few short minutes later. She tugged at his coat. "Off. Get all of it off."

"You're hurt," he said breathily.

"Barely," she argued shoving at his clothes to get him moving. "Nothing I can't ignore."

"Jyn," he sighed.

"I'm fine," she reiterated reaching down to help him get his pants off. "And you want me."

He jerked his hips against hers and she rewarded him with a soft keening noise. His fingers found their way inside her underwear and she rocked against them. Plans going completely fubar might be worth it if this was his response.

"Do I want to know what conditions Solo was referring to?"

She gave a breathy laugh. "He's an idiot. He's decided that if any babies are made onboard they need to be named Falcon in tribute. I never agreed."

"I don't know," he said smiling down at her. "Falcon Andor has a ring to it."

Jyn snickered and smacked his shoulder. "Don't you ever tell Han that."

"That was the only condition?"

"That, and he gets to be an uncle. Can you imagine having Han as family that you could never get rid of?"

Cassian put some space between them. "Well that's an effective way to get me to never touch you on this ship again."

She threw him a mock glare and grabbed his arm. "Don't start something you don't intend to finish."

He gave a small smile and settled back closer to her pressing loose strands of hair away from her face. "I'll never be finished with you."

She grinned. "Sounds like something out of a holo."

"That's because it is," he said smirking. "Don't tell me I was paying more attention to that last episode of _The Princess Spy_ than you were."

Jyn narrowed her eyes. "I think that's because someone couldn't keep their hands to themselves under the blanket."

"Bodhi really does have a problem with respecting people's personal space," he said neutrally and she burst into laughter.

"Bodhi is never going to let us sit together again when we watch the show. And I didn't appreciate you getting us kicked out before the end." She put on an exaggerated pout to make her point.

"You weren't paying attention anyway," he countered catching her bottom lip between his teeth gently.

She hummed a response and pulled him closer. "I could have been."

"Well, I'll leave you alone next time."

"Don't you dare," she said wrapping her legs around his waist. "Talk holodrama to me."

He snorted and buried his face in her neck. "That was all I had."

"You'll have to pay more attention in the future," she quipped.

"Unlikely," he countered a hand running up and down her side as if to emphasis his distraction. His hand slipped up to her arm and stopped at the edge of her bandage the mood sobering up instantly.

"I'm sorry I got shot."

He snorted. "Wasn't your fault."

"How pissed is Draven going to be that we lost the contact?"

"I'll deal with it," Cassian said shaking his head. "There was nothing we could do. He shoved you away from him into that mess. You couldn't have helped if you wanted to." The last bit was said in a tone that made her think her contact was probably better off dead and not near Cassian.

"Hey," she said tugging him closer and trying to distract him from his darker thoughts. "Wanna play medic?"

Cassian laughed. "You're impossible."

"Yeah, but do you wanna?" she said with a grin. "I really do think I need a thorough examination."

He rolled his eyes, but couldn't hide the smile touching the corners of his mouth and eyes. "Alright, tell me where it hurts."

Jyn smiled. "It's easier if I show you." And she grabbed his hands and did just that.

* * *

 **A/N: So glad people are happy for a sequel! I'd started writing a different story and then got struck by plot bunnies for this story line so here we are. I'm also glad that there is a general consensus that animals watching you bang is weird. Help me fight the Sunday Night scaries and let me know what you think!**


	3. Left Behind

He'd fucked up. He was big enough to admit that. He'd left her. At the time all that had been going through his head was that Jyn would be safe. The Imperial bounty hunter had been on his trail and hadn't been aware of her. He'd bolted to lose the tail and keep her out of it. He knew she could find a way back to Echo base just fine on her own. If they'd caught him, well then at least he'd have known she was safe. Given he hadn't had any time to communicate any of that to her. He'd just left her on that dirtball planet and let the threat follow him. He didn't regret the action, in fact if he had to do it all over again he would, but he should have at least foreseen the inevitable outcome. Jyn had navigated her way back to base through a series of hitchhiked rides and eventually a sketchy rendezvous with a rebellion contact. He'd known she'd be mad that he'd taken the risk on to himself, but he hadn't quite expected the cold fury he'd been met with.

Cassian had greeted her at the ship, ready to explain that it was the best way to keep her safe and there had been no sense in risking both of them, but she'd cut him off with a stiff nod and a sharp "Captain" before saying something about debriefing and marching off down the corridor. He'd waited in his quarters, their quarters for the past three months, for a few hours with Rogue before he realized she wasn't coming. Only the force knew where she was sleeping. He'd then tried to go to bed and an hour later given it up as hopeless and wandered out to the unsanctioned cantina for a drink in the hopes that it would stall out his overanalyzing thoughts. If she'd just give him a chance he'd explain that he in no way shape or form thought she couldn't handle the situation or danger, but it'd made no sense to risk them both when he could keep one of them safe. It wasn't a condemnation of her skills, more so a limitation of his.

He was so lost in his own misery that he barely even noticed when a body plopped down across from him. At first he hoped it was her, ready to talk and put this behind them, but a quick glance told him he had no such luck. Han Solo sat across from him with a drink in hand.

"Rough night?"

Cassian grunted noncommittally and hoped the smuggler would get lost. There was a table of pilots to his right who were surely more open to listening to his tales of adventure. He tolerated Solo because of Jyn's friendship with the man, but he really didn't think they had anything other than her in common.

"Where's the wife?" Solo glanced around looking for Jyn, and Cassian shot the man a dark look and focused on his drink. "No shit? You two fighting?"

"We're not fighting," Cassian said reluctantly, which was technically true. She hadn't even given them the opportunity to fight.

"I mean I knew your mission didn't go well when you came back without her," Han continued. "But you said she was safe, and I figured when I heard she was back today we wouldn't see you both for days what with your separation anxiety issues."

Cassian gave the man a cold neutral stare. "We don't have separation anxiety issues. We're separated all the time on our own missions. We rarely overlap with work. You know that better than anyone."

"Yeah, but then we get back," Solo said waving away his argument. "And if you're on base you're already at the bottom of the landing ramp and the kid is trying to mount you before the ramp has hit the hanger floor."

"We do no such thing," Cassian maintained. Sure, everyone knew he and Jyn were together and they shared touches and occasionally kissed in public, but overall neither of them favored huge public displays of affection. It wasn't like when Kes came back to base and Shara would jump into his arms and wrap her legs around his waist, and they'd put on a show.

Solo shrugged. "I just call it like I see it. I thought nothing could be worse than the unrequited love bullshit, but I was wrong. You should see her mope on long missions now. You'd think she'd die if she went a few days without getting laid."

"Well as you can see, she's not here."

"Yeah," Solo agreed. "Which only has me wondering how Captain Fabulous fucked up." Cassian focused on his drink and not punching the man. If he showed Solo that he was annoyed the damn smuggler would just double down on being unbearable. "Honestly man, if there's one thing I know its getting women to forgive you after a fight. I can help."

That did get a snort out of him. "Because you do so well with Leia?"

"She hasn't kicked me out of the rebellion yet," Han countered with a cocky grin.

Cassian lifted an eyebrow. "She also hasn't gotten rid of C-3PO. The princess isn't one to waste assets no matter what form they take."

Solo scowled. "Forget it. I hope the kid never forgives you. In fact, I hope she drops your ass. She'd be a lot more useful if she'd at least flirt with some of our contacts anyway. I've got more than one shady contact that'd give his left ball to get one night with her."

"She's not breaking up with me," Cassian said stubbornly. She wouldn't, right? Over one stupid mission screw up? She wouldn't. "It was just a disagreement in the field. Now that it's over she'll see that I made the right choice."

"You fucking a different Jyn than the one I run missions with? Because the one I work with is very hard to make see sense once she's decided something. Just for reference, I work with the one that basically told the entire Alliance council to get stuffed and ran a suicide mission based on what she believed to be the right call. Which one have you been sleeping with?"

"This isn't the same."

"What'd you do?"

"I didn't do anything. I had an Imperial bounty hunter on my trail and Jyn was in the clear. I knew she'd be able to get back to base so I led him off and lost him."

"She knew you were going to do this?"

"There wasn't exactly time to explain, but she must know."

"Knew she'd be able to get back to base?" Solo asked thoughtfully. "Meaning you left her there alone?"

"It didn't make any sense to put us both in danger."

Solo gave a whistle. "You're fucked man."

"You don't know what you're talking about," Cassian argued.

"Look, Captain Confident, I'm sure Jyn shares more with you than she does with me, but it doesn't take a kriffing genius to know the kid has abandonment issues. And then you just go and leave her on a planet and take off with your droid. Shit, you're lucky she came back here at all, she's definitely dumping your ass."

"I wasn't abandoning her," Cassian reasoned. "I was keeping her safe."

"Right," Solo said draining the last of his drink. He stood up and Cassian hoped he'd just leave. A few minutes later though the man came back with two refills shoving one at Cassian. "You might as well drink. That's the only thing going to keep you warm tonight."

"She lives with me."

Han let out a sharp laugh. "Sure, that'll be enough to get her back in your bed. You want my advice?"

"Not even remotely."

"Beg," Solo answered. "Not something I'd ever do, but I've seen it work for other men and she goes mushy stupid for you. Then eat her out. According to your droid a significant portion of the porn she watches includes that."

"Why would Kay ever tell you that?"

"He didn't. He told Chewie and I overheard," Han said with a shrug. "I didn't bother to ask what had led them to that conversation because I honestly didn't want to know. I could have lived my whole life without knowing Erso's sexual preferences."

Cassian was going to have to have yet another word with Kay about privacy. "I don't need to beg her forgiveness. It was the right call."

"Would you be ok if she'd done the same to you?" Cassian clenched his jaw. He'd want to shake her senseless if she'd done it to him, despite knowing it was the right call. He'd be half mad with worry if she had a killer after her and she'd bolted without a word to him. It wouldn't matter that making contact or coming back for him would just put both of them in senseless danger. "I'm telling you man. Beg and then eat her out."

And that was enough of that. This drink had turned far less relaxing than he'd hoped. "We're not fighting."

"I'd try the Falcon," Solo continued blithely. "It's really the only other sleeping option she has. Given it's going to be cold as shit with the ship only running on standby in the hanger. Maybe wait a couple hours for when the cold has made her more desperate. Then do some gallant shit with a blanket and promise not to do it again."

Cassian threw back the end of his second drink and stood. "But I would do it again, and I don't need relationship advice from you."

Solo groaned. "Look man, I don't give a shit about your relationship. Kriff it up however you want, but the kid has grown on me. I like working with her, ok? And if you drive her out of this rebellion I'm going to be pissed. I don't want a new team and I certainly don't want a new drinking partner. You're clearly shit at it."

"I am not driving her out of the rebellion," Cassian said affronted.

"If you don't think a big part of why she's here is you, then you're completely blind," Solo griped. "Given how long it took you two assholes to figure out you were into each other that's completely possible. The point is if I have to pick a team, I'm picking team Jyn. Trust me, you don't want me on the opposite team."

"There are no teams."

"Rook will pick team Jyn too," Solo continued thoughtfully. "Man, your droid is going to be conflicted as fuck."

"Goodbye Solo." Cassian left the bar feeling worse than when he came, which he blamed entirely on Solo. And if he paused at the hallway leading towards the hanger and debated looking to see if Jyn had camped out in the Falcon, well no one was there to see it. He ultimately decided against it and headed back to the room only to be greeted by darkness and a lump curled up in the bed under the covers.

"Jyn," he said softly. She turned and looked up at him in the darkness, having clearly been wide-awake. She sighed and sat up. He moved towards her hopefully. "We need to talk."

She held up a hand and he stopped approaching or talking, stopped breathing really. "Draven explained you had a tail. It was the right call."

He let out a breath and felt relief wash over him. Solo was an idiot, of course she understood. "I knew you'd be able to get back safely. Coming back would have only risked both of us more. I'm glad you're home." He stopped before adding 'and here in our bed'. He moved forward again reaching for her, and she huddled back against the wall, curling away from him in a way that made his heart stop. He dropped his hands and backed off.

"I understand why you did it," Jyn said quietly. "And it was the right call. But somehow that doesn't really feel like it matters at the moment. You left me. Without a word, you just took off and left me there. I didn't know, and-" She cut herself off and stared down at her lap despondently.

"I would never just ditch you if there was any other option," Cassian said firmly. She should know that by now. How many times had he come back? "I'm not going anywhere."

She shook her head. "I know that, but it doesn't change the way I feel." Jyn sighed and picked at the blankets. "I'm trying. I'm here. I'd just prefer if you didn't touch me."

Cassian jerked back like she'd hit him. What was someone supposed to say to that? "I can leave."

"You don't have to," she said lying back down as close to the wall as she could tuck herself. "Just stay on your side of the bed."

"Jyn," he started and stopped unsure of anything to say to fix this situation. He'd left and he wasn't sorry. He'd do it again. And she felt hurt and betrayed and could barely stand his presence. There was no fixing that with just simple words, and she made it very clear that Solo's methods wouldn't work. He sighed and gave up. He kicked off his shoes and changed into his nightclothes before slipping into the bed beside her. He could practically feel the tension vibrating off her body and he'd give just about anything to be able to pull her to him and push it away, but she very clearly didn't want that. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

"You look like hell."

Cassian glanced up from his report and saw the princess frowning at him. "Excuse me?"

"You look like hell," she repeated. "Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm fine," he grumbled. So what if he had bags under his eyes from three nights of restless sleep? He'd slept less on missions before.

"This wouldn't have anything to do with the fight with Jyn would it?"

He kept his face carefully neutral, which was really his default state anyway. "What fight with Jyn?"

"Solo told me," the princess said taking a seat across from him at the meeting table. They were the first to arrive as usual.

"Solo doesn't know what the kriff he's talking about."

Leia laughed at that. "Generally true enough. He's worried about her though in his own stupid bantha-headed way. Keeps pitching me inane mission ideas to get them out of here."

Something went cold inside him. Regardless of how awkward the current living situation was and how little they were talking at least she was there, at least she hadn't left and figured out he wasn't worth the trouble or the pain. The only thing that could be worse than the current setup was Solo carting her off to the other side of the galaxy and her feeling relieved and happy. Glad to be away from him. "Have you approved any?" he asked looking back down at his datapad and feigning disinterest.

"No," Leia answered. "Like I said they're all inane and would probably just end with all of them in a cantina on some backwater planet getting hammered and in trouble."

They were interrupted by more people joining the meeting and Cassian did his best to focus, but was finding it difficult. Eventually a mission would get approved or he'd get sent out and things couldn't keep going the way they had been. But what was he supposed to do? He couldn't apologize for something he didn't regret, and she wasn't even asking him to. She agreed with the call. So how was he supposed to make her stop feeling a feeling that she herself admitted wasn't logical?

The meeting broke up and he headed back to his quarters with very little retained. He was under no delusions that Jyn would be there. She'd worked hard to make herself busy the last few days – either helping Han on the Falcon, volunteering for patrol, or just working herself to a dead exhaustion in the training rooms before coming to bed late in the night. Kay had commented several times about her unhealthy self imposed workload to the point that Cassian had had to tell him he could only comment again if it seemed like she was in imminent danger of putting herself in the med ward.

Rouge slammed into his shins when he opened the door and he was stupidly grateful that at least someone was happy to see him. He scooped the purring loth-cat up into his arms and settled down to wait. She'd have to talk to him sometime and if she wasn't going to initiate it he was going to have to try. He wasn't any good at this. He could manipulate emotions, probably convince Jyn to forgive him or move on if he was willing to treat her like a target, but those were usually short term fixes as the person would eventually figure out you were playing them, which is all you needed when you didn't plan on sticking around. Actually resolving emotional issues was not his strong suit and especially not when he nearly panicked at the mere thought of it going wrong and her deciding they were through.

She came back around midnight sweaty and exhausted. Cassian set the datapad he'd been working on aside and barely stopped himself from reacting when he saw her flinch to find him awake. "We need to talk."

"I don't know what to say," Jyn countered quickly. "I'm gross and tired. I just want a shower and to go to bed."

"I'll wait," he said calmly.

She looked torn for a moment, but ultimately headed for the shower. She reappeared about ten minutes later in sleep clothes and with wet hair. "I really just want to go to bed."

"So do I," he admitted. It'd be easier. To just continue as they were and hope that she'd eventually thaw out to him.

Jyn headed towards the bed clearly intent on curling up against the wall as was her new norm. He reached out and stopped her with a gentle hand on her wrist, withdrawing it quickly and trying to hide the hurt when she pulled away. "We _need_ to talk."

"I don't know what you want me to say," she said picking at the edge of her shirt.

"I want to know how to make it better."

She looked up at that. "I don't know what to tell you."

"I didn't want to leave you, Jyn, you know that. I would never ever abandon you by choice."

"My father didn't leave by choice," Jyn said hoarsely. "It didn't matter in the end what his intentions were. Even Saw would have probably said that he didn't have a choice, that he was protecting me just like you were. I hear what you're saying, but it doesn't feel any better."

"I didn't, wouldn't, do what Saw did," Cassian said furiously shaking his head and standing up in agitation. "I knew you were safe and could get back to base. If you hadn't been able to return for some reason, I wouldn't have stopped until I found you again and brought you home."

Jyn wrapped her arms around herself and stared at the floor. She shrugged and shook her head like she was fighting with herself. He wanted to wrap her in his arms and push all the hurt down for her.

"Jyn, _please_ ," he tried again. "I'll do anything. Just tell me what you want me to do to make it better."

"I don't know," she said in a quaky little voice that made him want to die. "I don't know how to stop feeling this way. Trust me, I've tried. I know it's not your fault, but now I know. Now I know for a fact what it feels like for you to leave, and I don't think I'll survive it."

Kriff it all. Let her hit him. He reached out and dragged her into his arms and she came limply enough. He tugged her close and buried his face in her damp hair. "I love you. I'm sorry it hurt you. I never want to hurt you. Force, not being near you eats me alive. I can't promise something terrible won't happen in the field, but the only thing that would stop me from coming back to you is death."

She gave a pained wet laugh. "Not really comforting. I suppose I have too much of my mother in me. I hated her for a long time for leaving me, for going back for Papa. I couldn't understand why she did it when she couldn't possibly have won. But now I think I understand it some. She couldn't leave him. Better to die together than go on alone. I don't want you to die protecting me. I don't want to live through that."

"Jyn," he murmured into her hairline. He was probably holding her too tight, but she wasn't arguing, and he couldn't make himself release her. "I'm sorry." She started crying then and it was nothing he ever wanted to witness. He pulled her closer still as sobs wracked her tiny frame and he wished there was something, anything, he could do. He walked them backwards to the bed and sat letting her crumple into him. "I'm sorry."

"I don't want to feel this way," she said between sobbing gasps. "I really don't. I love you."

Something unraveled in him to hear her say it that he hadn't realized had been tangled up until that moment. All hope wasn't lost. He couldn't fix this easy, but she still loved him. That was something. "Jyn, please don't leave me."

He felt her go rigid in his arms and wondered how he'd messed up now. She pulled back and her tear streaked face peered up at him. "Leave you?"

"I couldn't stand it," he admitted.

"You're scared _I'd_ leave _you_?" she asked and her tone was incredulous.

"Of course. You've been distant for days, won't let me within a foot of you. If you decide it's too much, that we risk too much and it would hurt too much. Jyn, I don't know what I would do. I've made sure not to have anyone _to_ lose in a very long time. You're not the only one who's frightened of that."

"I'm not leaving," she said fiercely shaking her head. "I just, when you took off, when I saw that ship leaving without a word it dredged up all this bad stuff. And I told myself there must be a reason, that I'd get back to base and there'd be a reason and there was, but it didn't make the terrible feelings go away and I thought it'd just take a couple days to stuff it back down. I didn't want to feel like this near you, like all the bad would rub off on you or you'd think my baggage was too much. I thought I could get it under control."

He kissed her to stop her rambling and she welcomed him like a woman dying of thirst finding water. Force, he'd missed her. He pulled away reluctantly and held her face in his hands. "You don't have to get it under control. Not with me. If you want to be angry be angry. If you want to be sad be sad. Just don't push me out. Be all those things with me, even if I caused it. Let me try to make it better."

She pressed closer to him wrapping her legs around his waist and tucking her head into his throat. They sat that way for a long time bound around each other and quiet. Long enough for his legs to go slightly numb with her weight, but he certainly wasn't complaining. He shifted slightly and just as he feared Jyn shot back and off of him.

"Your hip."

"It's fine," he said holding up a hand to stop whatever apology she was going to stutter. "My legs just went to sleep a little."

"Sorry," she said flushing.

"I don't mind," he said standing and pulling her in again. Now that she was letting him touch her again he couldn't seem to stop. She slumped against him and he ran his fingers through her drying damp hair.

She sighed and asked, "Can we just go to bed?"

"Anything you want," he said, reluctantly releasing her and heading to the 'fresher to change and get ready for bed. It wasn't fixed, but at least it wasn't irreparably broken.

He came out to find her curled up in the bed and tentatively got in beside her, still half worried she'd press herself against the wall like she had been doing. Instead she instantly rolled into his side and twined her limbs around him. He enveloped her in his own arms and breathed in her scent. "I missed you."

She tightened her hold on him. "I missed you too." And for now that was good enough.

* * *

 **A/N: Not entirely happy with this chapter, but not sure how to fix it so there it is, ha. I'll always be better at fluff than angst, but you know these two have some emotional baggage on board. Hopefully I didn't miss the mark too hard.**


	4. The Return of Jyn Solo

"Jyn!" the shout echoed down the hall and Jyn looked up just in time to see Baaro barreling down on her before he slammed into her wrapping her up in a hug that almost knocked her off her feet.

"Hey kid," she said patting him awkwardly on the head. "Didn't know you were coming in."

"Birander had some intel for the princess that he needed to hand deliver. I had to practically beg to come."

"Well, welcome to Echo base," she said with a small grin. She and Han had been back to Eiattu a few times working with the Partisan group and bringing it in closer to the Alliance, but it was the first time Birander and any of his people had come to them. "How long are you here for?"

"We're headed out again tomorrow."

"Enough time for a training session then?"

The kid lit up like an ion rocket. "If you've got time."

"I'll make time," Jyn answered ignoring Bodhi and Cassian's inquisitive looks. Kay barely acknowledged the new presence at all. "We're headed into a meeting, but do you think you can find the mess hall around 1700? We can do a training session and then eat."

"Sure, yeah, I'm sure I can." The kid gave her a messy salute and darted back down the hallway barely avoiding crashing into Han and Chewie as they made their way to the meeting. He yelped a quick hello and kept on going.

"Birander and his bunch on base?" Han asked.

"Has some info for the princess," Jyn said with a shrug.

"Ready for the competition, Captain Spook? That boy has the hots for your woman."

Cassian lifted a very unimpressed eyebrow. "I think I'll survive a teenage kid."

"I don't know," Jyn teased with a grin. "Baaro is very eager to please." Han and Chewie chortled and followed her into the meeting.

"Han and Jyn Solo," a voice boomed out across the meeting room. Jyn glanced over to see Birander headed towards them to wrap her in a bear hug that she hated, but tolerated as a compromise since the one time the man had tried to cop a feel on top of it she'd almost broken his wrist. They'd both settled for this in between ever since, and on Jyn's part only for the sake of the rebellion. "Are you excited for the valuable information we bring you?"

Jyn snorted and broke the embrace backing away from him only to find Cassian closely at her shoulder. He didn't reach out or make any other show of defense or possession on her behalf, but she could tell he'd moved to be near her on purpose. "I doubt it's that valuable if it comes with you attached."

Birander laughed again. "You're always so cruel to me. I can't begin to imagine why when you married this scoundrel." He pounded Han on the back and Jyn ignored the lifting eyebrows around the room. They'd never really clarified the status of their relationship to the partisans and after several attempts on Birander's part to make Jyn his fifth wife it'd just been easier to use the excuse rather than offend an annoying, but useful, ally. "You can't tell me Solo is more upstanding than me?"

"At least he doesn't already have four other wives," Jyn said with a shrug.

Han threw an easy arm around her waist and grinned at Birander. "See, this is why I always like guys like you – constantly lowering the bar for me."

"You ask my wives if I keep them satisfied," Birander said with a wink. "Maybe then you'll come around."

People kept shuffling in behind them and Leia cleared her throat. "If you all are done?"

"Ah yes, always so serious this one," Birander said with a lewd little grin. "I keep offering to help loosen her up." Leia looked incredibly unimpressed, and Han's fingers dug into Jyn's side.

"Let's take a seat," Jyn prodded trying to stop Han from doing something idiotic that wouldn't impress the princess anyway. He grumbled but followed her throwing himself down into a chair with some of his easy swagger returned. For his part Birander snapped into leader mode and the meeting commenced. Jyn tried to focus and ignore Bodhi and the others' inquisitive looks. Cassian stared resolutely at the speaker with his face impassive just like every meeting.

The meeting broke up an hour later with preparations started for a strike force based off of Birander's information scheduled for a little over a month from now. Though it hadn't been said, as they wouldn't want an ally to take offense, she had a feeling Cassian and some other intelligence officers would be sent out in the next couple weeks to confirm the information more thoroughly and get what they needed to finalize the plan. She, Solo, and Chewie were sure to be part of the actual hit.

"So now that business is done," Birander said coming up behind her. "A bit of pleasure? Where does one go to get a drink around here?"

Solo bumped in between them and threw an arm around her shoulders. "You're that eager to get drunk under the table this early?"

"Like you could," Birander shot back as they all headed into the hallway.

"Who said I meant me?" Han joked. "My _wife_ will put you down."

Jyn saw Leia frown out of the corner of her eye and almost rolled her eyes. They really were worse than she and Cassian had ever been. At least Cassian and her had admitted they liked each other as friends even if they hadn't been willing to push it further. "I promised Baaro I'd train with him. You boys are on your own."

"Eh, beat the boy up and join us," Birander cajoled. "It's not like it'll take long."

Jyn sighed internally. She'd had more than enough trainers like Birander who thought you learned best just by getting the crap kicked out of you with no explanation. It definitely made you a scappy fighter, but rarely a very good one. "We'll see."

"Come on, Solo, make her go with us."

"You've known us long enough to know there's absolutely no way I can make her do anything," Han said with more pride in his tone than she thought a fake wife warranted and an affectionate squeeze to her shoulders. She shot him a small grin. Han was an asshole, but he was also a good guy at his core. He dropped the arm around her and looped it around Birander. "Come on, there's a lot of single ladies in the rebellion. Maybe one of them won't mind being a fifth wife and moving into some shitty caves with you." Birander laughed at that and Han guided him down the hallway that'd take them to the barely open illegal cantina. "See you later tonight, sweetheart," he shot at Jyn with a wink. She gave a small wave and a relieved sigh when they rounded a corner and continued towards the mess to pick up her self-designated charge.

"Well he's positively foul," Leia said dryly for only her, Cassian, Bodhi, and Kay to hear.

Jyn shrugged. "Birander is annoying and persistent, but hasn't tried anything beyond a little groping, which is a step above a lot of people I've worked with in the past. Besides he has useful information."

"Solo actually let him think you two were married?" the princess tried to ask casually. "I wouldn't imagine that nerf hearder would allow anyone to think he let a woman tie him down. Probably jokes all the time what a misery being married is."

Jyn bit down on a smile and glanced at a still carefully neutral Cassian. The princess was good at many things, but stealthily fishing for information where her love life was concerned was not among them. "Eh, he just needs a woman who can hold her own. I think Han is a little bit proud when Birander's men scurry out of my way. Han would never admit it, but he clearly has a kink for powerful woman."

Cassian made a small noise next to her that she'd come to realize was often him holding back a laugh, and while she adored his laugh the small noise always made her swell up with secret pride that she'd bypassed his spy defenses anyway. She glanced at Leia only to see her frowning and wondered what had upset the princess.

Cassian, of course, figured it out before she did. "Kicking ass only seems to do so much for Solo though, or he really would have been interested in you romantically, Jyn. And as you both constantly make fun of me for once thinking that, it clearly isn't the case," Cassian commented seemingly carelessly. "I think his real kink is a woman who puts him in his place often. The kind who takes no shit and will put a blaster in your face if you look at her wrong or give you a tongue lashing to send your head spinning if you do something senseless. That man thrives on being told he's an idiot."

"We're lucky he's not in love with half the base then," Leia shot, but there was some ill-disguised warmth in her tone. "I'm surprised you aren't more upset that Solo has commandeered Jyn as his wife, Captain Andor."

"I was already aware of the situation," Cassian said with a small shrug.

"How? Why did nobody tell me?" Bodhi asked looking a bit sullen.

"I certainly didn't tell him," Jyn said trying to sooth her friend's hurt feelings at being left out. "It's not like it's a point of pride to call that idiot my husband."

"Kay told me," Cassian supplied easily.

"And you didn't tell me?" Bodhi demanded turning on the droid.

"I did not see any reason to," Kay answered. "Jyn Erso classifies you as a friend and vice versa, not a potential mate. Therefore her marital status is of no concern or threat to you. Cassian, however, is her mate and should therefore be informed of husbands real or imaginary so he can make appropriate decisions in regards to his relationship."

"And it annoys him," Jyn supplied with a happy little laugh. The droid always grumbled when he accompanied her and Han to Eiattu and she was referred to as Solo's wife. "He tattled because he was hoping Cassian would put an end to it."

"It is within Cassian's rights to do so," Kay argued. "It is embarrassing to have other organics thinking that he lost his mate to the likes of Han Solo."

"But I could have been teasing her about it for months!" Bodhi interjected still offended.

"Which is exactly why I didn't tell you," Jyn said sticking her tongue out at him.

"But Cassian could have!"

"Because you teasing her and making her irritable is useful to me, how?" Cassian asked with a small smile.

"We're friends! It would have made me happy. No one tells me anything good."

Jyn laughed and offered, "I could tell you about Cassian's porn preferences when he was a teenager if you'd like to add those jokes to your repertoire?"

Bodhi's eyes went wide. "Why did you tell her that?"

"I didn't," Cassian ground out shooting the droid a dirty look.

"You never marked the information as classified," Kay groused. "How was I supposed to know?"

"Sorry, man," Bodhi said patting Cassian on the back in solidarity.

"How come you don't want to make fun of him?" Jyn demanded.

"Hey, nobody wants their teenage hormone-driven fantasies made public," Bodhi said with wince. "You using Han as your fake husband to get a guy to leave you alone is hilarious. You could have just punched him."

"And lost a good ally for the Alliance," Leia said coming to her defense. "It's not Jyn's fault some men are pigs and won't just take no for an answer. You should feel bad for her having to fake being married to that laser brain for the cause." Leia gave a dramatic shudder at the thought. "At least Captain Andor's fake wife is competent and attractive."

"How is Lieutenant Awn?" Jyn asked. "I haven't seen her on base in a while."

"Pregnant and at home with her family," Cassian said with a small fond smile. "We didn't want to drag a child into our cover so as far as any Imperial contacts know know she's a sickly thing and the Swards are currently on some backwater planet that claims to have healing waters hoping it will help."

They all made their way to the mess hall chatting casually and Jyn smiled when she caught sight of Baaro bouncing on his feet and glancing around anxiously outside the entrance. She made her goodbyes and headed over to collect him only half surprised to feel Cassian and Kay flanking her.

"Still have time to train?" the boy asked excitedly, but trying to hide it.

"Of course," Jyn said watching the boy's eyes track nervously over to Cassian and Kay. "You've met Kay, but this is my friend, Captain Andor. He works in intelligence and he's the one who reprogrammed Kay."

"Really?" Baaro asked with big eyes that reminded her of Bodhi and she felt another wave of affection for the boy. "How'd you do it?"

"I could tell you," Cassian said blithely, "But then I'd have to kill you." Jyn squashed a laugh at his serious expression and Baaro's startled one. She really never should have let Cassian watch spy holodramas.

"That is so cool," Baaro finally said grinning. "I like droids. I mess around with them a lot, but my dad gets pissed if I break anything. So you like sneak into Imperial bases and steal stuff?"

"Sometimes," Cassian said with a faint smile and a quick acknowledging look at Jyn.

"Captain Andor is one of the best sharpshooters in the rebellion," Jyn added proudly. "Maybe if you ask nicely he'll take you to the shooting range."

Baaro stood up straight and tried to look confident. "If you have the time, sir, I'd be honored."

Jyn fought down another grin so as not to embarrass the kid and Cassian gave a quick serious nod. "Any friend of Jyn's is a friend of mine."

* * *

Jyn worked her way back the quarters she shared with Cassian and enjoyed the warm buzz of a little alcohol in her system. She and Cassian had trained with Baaro and taken the boy to dinner before Han and Birander had come into the mess hall well on their way to drunk and demanded her presence in the cantina. She'd gone with little protest since she'd known she'd lose in the end, but had only had two drinks before begging off to go to bed, which had raised a few lewd comments from Birander about Han joining her later, but had otherwise been accepted.

She entered their quarters and found Cassian had already bedded down for the night. He shifted drowsily clearly noting that it was her and not a threat before seemingly going back to sleep. His slight movements dislodge Rogue from where the loth-cat had curled up against Cassian's hip and she gave the animal a fond scratch before he slipped out the door to start his nocturnal hunt around the base. Keeping the lights off she slipped into the 'fresher and got ready for bed.

A small smile slipped across her face as she came back out and took in his sleeping form. He was laying on stomach with an arm sprawled into the space she usually occupied and his fringe falling into his closed eyes. They'd been careful with each other since the mission she didn't like to even think about. The bad feelings welled up inside her all over again and she pushed them away. Cassian was not her father, was not her mother, was not Saw. Cassian came back and trust had to go both ways. She trusted him. She trusted the man who was thoughtful when training an attention starved teenage boy, who trusted her enough to let her say she was married to someone else and go off drinking with other men without the slightest comment or concern, who gave her space when she wanted it and pulled her close when she needed it. A man who was just as scared of her leaving him as the other way around. She'd never even considered that she had the power to cause someone the sort of pain that had been inflicted on her before he'd said it, never thought she'd matter to anyone that much. Who would be dumb enough to give her power like that over them? Someone who trusted her right back. She loved this stupid trusting man.

Jyn slipped into the bed and tucked herself under his arm pressing her cold hands up under his sleep shirt, making him shiver and give a noise of protest. "Are you awake?"

"I am now," he muttered still half asleep. "You managed to escape?"

"Mmm-hmm," she answered nuzzling her cold nose into his warm neck. "Baaro's a good kid isn't he?"

Cassian hummed an affirmative. "He's the perfect candidate for recruitment – eager to learn, good with a blaster and his fists, and a little starry eyed in love with a war hero of the Alliance. I think if you asked he'd drop his father's group in a heartbeat and stay. Although then you'll have a puppy following you around as well as a loth-cat."

Jyn snorted. "You're one to talk. By the end of that training session I think he was more in love with you than me." She switched her voice to a terrible imitation of Baaro, "That was awesome, Captain Andor, I didn't think anyone could make that shot! How did you manage such a tricky reprogramming, Captain Andor? Captain Andor, that was amazing how you managed to pin Jyn to the mat. You have to show me that move!" Cassian gave a small laugh. "Kay would have some competition as your number one fan."

"You're ridiculous."

"I really don't blame him though," Jyn joked snuggling closer, "I think wrestling with you is fun too."

"That's because you're a sore loser, and you know I can only pin you like one out of every three times. If you hadn't been distracted trying to show Barro how to grapple, I probably wouldn't have won today either."

"If you'd ask nicely I might let you pin me more often," she teased. He gave a soft short laugh and curled around her further seemingly intent on going back to sleep. They lay twined around each other in silence for a few moments. "You can you know."

"Hmmm?"

"Pin me if you want to," she said slowly, annoyed that she couldn't say what she wanted more clearly. He'd been so cautious with her since their not-a-fight fight, always waiting for her to initiate anything before reaching for her. They'd had sex since then, but it'd always been at her express desire and he'd been more hesitant than even when they'd first started sleeping together.

She felt his chest rise as he took a deep breath. "You told me you didn't want me to touch you. I didn't want to – I wasn't sure –"

Silence fell and she propped herself up to look down at him in the dark. "I was upset and working through it. I didn't mean forever." She could feel herself blushing and her instinctual embarrassment screaming at her to shut up, that showing weakness led to pain, but not talking about things never helped them. She was trying, damn it. "I like when you start things." Her blush intensified, but she forced the words out. "It makes me feel wanted."

Suddenly he was flipping her and she found herself pinned underneath him on the bed. "Thank the force," he growled into her neck and she gave a relieved and delighted laugh as his lips attacked her throat and his hands wandered. "So you wouldn't mind if I fucked you senseless right now?"

She shook her head thankful to escape serious conversation, and then teased, "My husband might have something to say about it though."

"Solo can kriff off. Better yet, tell Birander you got divorced," Cassian said pulling her shirt off over her head. "If you need a buffer you can say you married me."

"Why Captain Andor, are you proposing?" she said with a laugh as she lifted her hips to help him tug her pants off and then reached for his.

"Run away with me, Jyn Solo," he said dramatically as he tugged his own shirt over his head.

She laughed, pleased that he was in the mood to play along, and pulled him back down and closer to her. "Only if your wife doesn't recover from her illness, Mr. Sward."

"Morbid," he chastised with a smile.

"Fine, maybe she ran away with some damn rebel," Jyn offered letting him capture both her wrists in one hand above her head.

"Can you blame her? Who doesn't want to sleep with an attractive dangerous rebel?"

"Certainly seems to do it for you, Mr. Sward," Jyn said with a saucy little grin.

"I thought you were a smuggler's wife," he countered.

"Having a little trouble keeping the storyline straight," she admitted as his free hand found interesting places to be, his lips made their way back to her throat, and the hand pinning her to the bed stopped her from wiggling free. "I never was good at complicated spy stuff. Are you arresting me then, like the good upstanding Imperial you are? Smuggling is against the law after all. I should be taught a lesson."

"That can be arranged." Cassian moved back up and kissed her for a long breathless moment before shifting away to get a better grasp on her wrists. She tensed when she felt cloth twisting around them. He stopped and pulled back. "Is this ok?"

Jyn bit her lip and looked up at him as the playfulness fled from the room. "Nothing good has ever come of being tied up."

He dropped his hands from the fabric and her wrists. "Ok." He leaned down to kiss her again, and she stopped him with a finger to his lips.

"Just," she started and then fidgeted. "Go slow?"

"We don't have to," he argued. "It was just an impulse."

"It's ok," she said and was surprised to find it was true. "I trust you. Just stop if I say stop?"

"Immediately," he answered staring at her intently. She nodded and let him use her own shirt to tie her down to the bed gasping as his mouth made its way down her body. Somewhere in the back of her mind she noted that he'd been lazy, tied knots that were easy to get out of, she appreciated the gesture before her mind went white with pleasure.

* * *

 **A/N: So I'm going on vacation out of the country for the next week and a half so you're getting this chapter early and the next one delayed. Didn't want to leave you hanging on a bad/angst note though. Look at these idiots working out their shit, sort of.**


	5. Spice

"Where the kriff is he? He should be here by now."

"We know," Bodhi said watching her pace in the small cargo ship. "You've said it five times."

"Cassian is still within normal mission parameters. There is still another half hour of leniency before he is officially late."

"Yeah, but it was supposed to be a straightforward recruitment mission," Jyn argued. "He should have been back at the start of the pick up window two and a half hours ago."

"I told you we shouldn't let her come," Kay said clearly annoyed. "She's being irrational."

"You say that like I had a choice," Bodhi argued. "You can't feel it, but Jyn hits hard."

"I am capable of restraining her," Kay informed the pilot simply. "You only needed to ask."

Jyn glared at both of them. If Leia hadn't accidentally said something in passing to her she never would have known the two of them were going to pick Cassian up. She and Han didn't have anything going on currently and she'd decided to tag along, thought it'd be a good surprise, but Cassian was late and something was off. She didn't know how she knew it, but she did. She hadn't gotten this far by not trusting her gut, and right now it was telling her Kay's statistics were wrong.

"I don't mind her coming," Bodhi said with a laugh, "But honestly, Jyn, I've picked up Cassian from missions before and sometimes he's not right on time. It's usually not a big deal."

"I'm going out there," Jyn said firmly.

"That is against protocol," Kay said, but she was already tugging her scarf up over her hair. Neither man nor droid tried to physically stop her, which was smart on their parts as she marched off the ship into the spaceport and out onto the busy streets of the city. It was late at night, but it was a weekend on this planet so there were still plenty of people out and about. Jyn probably would have blended in better in trendier clothes though. Groups of young people, probably her own age but worlds apart, shouted and navigated the streets in packs and young couples strolled wrapped up in each other while taxi-speeders stopped on curbs to let out and pick up more happy drunken groups.

She skirted around them and stuck to the shadows headed towards Cassian's last known destination – some terrible club where his contact liked to hang out. Fifteen minutes later, and with an increasing sense of paranoia, she was about to cross an overpass when she noticed a man leaning far out over the side presumably watching the traffic speed by below him. High or suicidal probably, maybe both, either way not her problem. She debated switching to the other side of the overpass, but didn't want to wait the traffic out so she marched forward. She was a few feet away when she recognized him and with a brief moment of shock thought to herself, 'Cassian?'

He jerked like she'd yelled it out loud, whipping around to locate her and then breaking into an uncharacteristic grin before frowning. She hadn't read up much on what his cover was here, but he looked the part, just another man in trendy clothes prepared to spend the night drinking with friends. She was further surprised when he put a finger to his lips and shushed her overdramatically. Glancing around for threats she made her way to his side.

"My name is Aarlon," he said conspiratorially.

"Ok," she answered still trying to see what danger had startled him. Perhaps someone was following him.

"I don't think so," he said pressing closer to her. A hand slid up her side and under her shirt making her jump in surprise. "I don't think you're supposed to be here."

"I tagged along," she answered letting him wind an arm around her waist in the hopes that they'd look like any other couple out during a pleasantly warm evening. What had he been doing looking over the bridge? Maybe there was a particular vehicle he was searching for? She knew something was wrong. He should have come for backup if the mission had changed. "You're late."

"And you were worried," he filled in tugging her closer and nuzzling his face into her neck. Someone must be following him for this much PDA. She ran her fingers through his hair and tried to subtly look around for the threat. "There's no one."

"What?"

"There's no one following me," he clarified, his lips near her ear and his hand slipping down to her hipbone under her pants.

"Then what are we doing out here, _Aarlon_?"

"Watching the lights," he answered easily swaying back to the edge of the bridge and dragging her along to lean against the edge. "Aren't they pretty?"

She glanced down at the passing traffic and tried to parse his code, but she still didn't see anything particularly threatening. Whatever he was trying to get across she just wasn't following. She hated undercover ops. Jyn jumped when she heard him chuckle and felt his lips, warm and wet, making their way down her neck. He pressed against her and she tried to stay focused. Clearly they were putting on a show for someone.

His deep laugh reverberated again in her ear and sent a shiver rolling down her spine. "No one cares what we're doing," he said warmly. "No one is watching."

"Then why are we here and not already headed back to the spaceport?" she whispered tilting his head back. If this wasn't a show to throw someone off their trail, then what was it?

"Because we want to be. Because it's a nice night, and I haven't been able to touch you in almost two weeks and that seems awfully unfair."

It belatedly occurred to her he'd originally answered a question about who was watching them that she hadn't asked out loud and she turned in his arms and raised her hands to cup his cheeks and force him to make eye contact. "Your pupils are dilated. You're high."

Cassian gave a half smile and buried his nose in her hair. "So what if I am?"

"Since when do you do spice?" she asked concerned, and it had to be some sort of spice if he was able to pick up on surface thoughts like that. She'd met more than a few spice-heads over her travels and knew well and good why Saw would kick someone out of the Partisans at the very first sign of addiction. Depending on the type you could get addicted fast, and she'd seen people steal and murder for just one more hit. Spent a week trapped in a shit hovel during an Imperial lockdown on some karking planet with a spice-head detoxing and not by choice, she didn't need to relive that experience. A hand slid down to her ass and squeezed startling her out of her thoughts. She grabbed his wrist and glared.

"It was in the stamp," he explained twisting his hand away and waving it in her face to show off the stamp the club used. "Didn't know it till almost too late. Must be to give the bored, rich club kids a little thrill. Doubt I'm in much danger of stabbing you for credits and going back for more."

She ignored that jab at her internal overreaction. It would be dangerous enough, having a spy's thoughts leak out across an Imperial controlled club. "And your contact?" Jyn hissed suddenly panicked for all new reasons. The last thing they needed was some spiced up Imperial child reporting to mommy and daddy that they'd heard someone's thoughts in a club and they were meeting up with an Alliance spy. Or worse some low level Imperial officer out for a night out overhearing it. She looked around, but still couldn't identify any threats.

"Dunno," he shrugged. "Think she's smart enough to bail. Either way, all she could give up about me is a physical description." Which didn't match much to normal with his shaved face, relaxed features, and contact-created blue eyes. "See? Told you there wasn't much to give away."

"Knock it off. Reading my thoughts is freaking me out." And regardless of the disguise it'd be better to get off planet before anyone did start searching if his contact had let anything leak. They had to get back to the ship.

"Or," Cassian said shuffling closer and crowding her against the bridge railing. "We could find a really nice hotel and leave in the morning." Jyn snorted. Draven would love that report. "We wouldn't give him details," Cassian argued to her unvoiced rebuttal.

"I'm pretty sure simply telling him you got high and then used Alliance money to get a hotel so we could fuck would be enough detail to send him over the deep end," she said knocking his wandering hand away from her thigh. "Come on, we need to get off planet." Cassian made a whining sound and leaned down to kiss her throat. And it was distracting, but not distracting enough.

"I could kiss somewhere else," he offered smirking up at her before she pushed him away.

"What kind of spice did they lace it with anyway?" Jyn asked grabbing his arm and starting to tug him back in the direction of the spaceport. She'd heard of some people getting horny on spice, but it wasn't a standard effect.

"Dunno," Cassian said with a shrug letting her pull him along gamely. "Probably something designer with an aphrodisiac for the rich kids. From the little time I spent in that club, and the thoughts I was starting to pick up, it was going to quickly turn into an orgy."

"And you didn't want to stay?" she asked sarcastically.

"Not if you weren't there," he said with another relaxed shrug and then made a humming noise as he thought about it further. "Probably wouldn't have been a good idea even if you were. I don't think I would have liked sharing."

Jyn felt herself flush at that. She definitely wouldn't have wanted to share. She'd never been good with that anyway. Saw had often called her a selfish child when she hoarded weapons or food, but it'd always been said with a fondness that implied it wasn't a completely bad trait to have in a war. Cassian probably wouldn't agree.

Cassian slipped his arm loose from hers and wrapped it around her waist pulling her closer and pressing them both into a nearby building. "You can be selfish with me," he said in a dark husky voice that made her shiver.

"Liar," she said half teasing as she pushed on his chest to create some space. "I always have to share you." She left 'with your cause' unsaid, but that didn't particularly matter when the spice was giving him access to her more prominent thoughts.

Cassian frowned. "And it's not yours as well now?"

Jyn laughed and kissed him chastely before slipping away. "Of course it is, but not like it is for you. I chose you first and it second. Not everyone can be as passionate about it as you and Leia." She and Han knew what they'd signed up for, even if Han hadn't totally come to terms with it yet.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Cassian asked dogging her steps.

She didn't bother pretending she didn't know what he was asking. "You didn't really think Han was sticking around just for the greater good of the galaxy did you?"

"You're not like Solo," Cassian defended looking confused. "You're not in this for money or a reward, even if that reward is just the ego stroking of someone returning your affections. I know you're not."

"I didn't say I was."

"But-"

"Look," she said with a sigh glancing around and tugging him into an alley to pause. They really shouldn't be having this discussion in the open no matter how oblique they were being. "I'm just saying if you died tomorrow there are a lot of ways to fight." And the Alliance might not be her first choice. She still chafed under the rules and regulation and don't even get her started on the bureaucracy. If Cassian wasn't there she'd probably stay as Bodhi was the last person she could consider family, and it wasn't like she had anywhere else to go, but she'd definitely be way more open to other opportunities to kick the Empire in the teeth. Bringing the Empire down filled her with fire, but the Alliance itself just didn't really do the trick on its own.

"It's all I've ever known," he said simply staring at her hard. "But if you're unhappy-"

She pressed up on her toes to kiss him and silence him. "I'm not unhappy, idiot. You're just not allowed to die, and that's the extent of my willingness to share you with something or someone else. Now come on." She tugged his hand and dragged him back out into the pedestrian traffic milling towards the spaceport. She just wanted to be back onboard and headed back to base. Han would be delighted to hear this story.

"You aren't telling him."

"Stop doing that," she demanded.

"I can't help it," Cassian argued in a tone that was the closest to a whine she'd ever heard. "You think so loudly."

"I do not," she argued offended. "You're just focusing on me. Focus on someone else. Maybe you'll pick up something worthwhile." She gestured around them towards all the other Imperial citizens going about their business.

Cassian glanced around absently. "Nope. No one is really focused on politics tonight. Nothing interesting unless you include the woman panicking that her husband is going to figure out she's cheating on him with his mistress."

"I would definitely include that as interesting," Jyn said looking around. "Which one?"

"In the green dress."

"Really? She's like fifty," Jyn said delighted. "If they're both fucking the same lady you'd think they could just do it together."

"Imperial husbands get to cheat," Cassian said with a shrug, "Not Imperial wives."

"Farking double standards," Jyn groused. It was like something out of a holodrama. She was going to have to tell Bodhi.

"But you're still not telling Solo," Cassian piped up.

Jyn shot him a smirk over her shoulder. "And why wouldn't I?"

"I'm your boyfriend."

"Which just means you have to forgive me when I embarrass you." And it was too good to keep to herself after all the shit Cassian had given Han for getting roofied that one time. Han would be thrilled, maybe even share his good alcohol.

"You'd trade my secrets for liquor?" Cassian asked stopping in his tracks and looking stupefied.

"In a heartbeat," Jyn teased. "There's a reason I do what I do and you do what you do."

"I'd like to think you'd at least need more than a basic bribe to betray me," he pouted. She'd never betray him, not for any bribe or torture in the world. Cassian gave her a self-satisfied smile and tugged her into his side again. "I knew it."

"Embarrassing you is entirely different than betraying you," she argued fighting not to look self-conscious by her own unspoken thoughts even if they were true.

"What if I have a better bribe for your silence?" Cassian asked.

"Like what?" The hand on her hip slipped closer to her inner thigh. He had to be joking. "Really? That's your best shot? I can get that regardless of bribes."

"Maybe I'll hold out on you," Cassian growled.

Jyn snorted. "Sure you will." To be fair he'd probably do a better job of it than if she ever tried, but she was persistent and persuasive when she wanted to be. In fact, she'd kind of enjoy the challenge. She wondered how long he'd last if she just happened to be masturbating when he came back to their quarters. Cassian groaned at her side and buried his nose in her hair. She smiled. That answered that.

"I'll think of something else," he said and his hand skated up from her thigh and slipped inside her waistband.

She gave a surprised hiss and caught his wrist. "We're in public." Cassian just shrugged and Jyn yanked his hand back to a more appropriate place. His lips found her ear and she wiggled away from him. "Come on," she said tugging him forward again. His movements were even more languid than they had been when they started which concerned her. The drugs effects were clearly on the upswing instead of the down.

"I'm fine," he comforted. "I feel really really good actually."

"You're drugged out of your mind," Jyn countered. "I want you somewhere safe."

He moved forward and pressed his face into her throat. "I'm safe with you." Her heart seized up at that. How could she ever live up to _that_ expectation? "I didn't mean it that way."

"Course not," she said stiffly. It's not like she didn't want to keep him safe, it's just that life had taught her not to count on it. Saw hadn't taught her how to protect, only how to survive. The partisans didn't believe in 'no man left behind,' they believed in achieving the objective at any cost. His faith was misplaced.

"Stop," he chastised pulling her closer and ignoring the disgruntled crowds streaming around them. "You aren't Saw." A dangerous name to say out loud, she thought. "All the same, you aren't him, and you're naturally inclined to helping people not discarding them like equipment. Not even he could train that goodness out of you." Jyn snorted at that bantha shit. "Think what you want, but you are. I've seen it time and time again. You put on the mask Saw gave you, but you're your parents to your core."

Jyn clenched her jaw, surprised by the burn in her eyes at his words. Is that really how Cassian saw her? He didn't even know her parents. She didn't even know them, not really.

"They risked everything they loved, including you, to save us all," he murmured into her ear. "I can barely stand the thought of risking you for it. I can't imagine what it took for them to do the same."

Jyn shook her head swallowing around the lump in her throat. They ran and they hid. They weren't trying to be heroes. They were forced into it.

"Your parents to your core," he said with a soft laugh. "Besides giving up a life of comfort isn't an easy thing. Sometimes just running and not serving takes bravery."

"Don't let Leia hear you say that," she tried to joke. It was too much and she didn't want to talk about it anymore.

Cassian clearly understood that too, stepping back from her and pulling her along with him as they got back into the stream of people entering the spaceport. "I'll lie if you tell her I did."

They produced their forged scandocs for a bored trooper at the entrance and Jyn made an effort to stay relaxed when the trooper lingered on hers. Cassian's fingers dug into her hip and she glanced up at him to find him glaring at the trooper, which set her muscles tensing and ready for a fight. He glanced down at her and shook his head slightly, confusing her further. The stormtrooper handed their scandocs back with no further comment or interest, and they headed into the spaceport. What in the world was that about?

"He thought you were attractive," Cassian stated coldly. She lifted an eyebrow and wondered if he was truly that possessive. "He was also thinking of all the things he'd like to do to you. It wasn't romantic." Oh. "Yeah, he's one of the ones who thoroughly enjoys his job."

Jyn shuddered at that. She'd met more than a few stormtroopers like that, who thrived on the little power they had and the pain they could cause. It was only through pure luck one of those hadn't had his way with her in Wobani. She could still feel his invasive hands on her during more than one 'random' search. He and two of his friends had cornered her in a 'fresher stall once, but a riot had happened to break out and they'd been called away before he could really do anything. The creep had died in that riot and if she'd ever figured out who had landed the killing blow she'd have given them her food rations for a week in thanks.

"You never told me that."

"I hate this stupid drug," she groused. She'd never really had any intention of telling him that. Wobani with its sadistic guards and murderous cellmates was better left forgotten.

Cassian dropped the arm from around her waist and captured her hand instead. "Next time you can get high and read my thoughts," he offered. Like that would work. She was sure he'd had training shielding his thoughts from interrogations. He gave her a sly little smile that sent her heart skittering. "The training isn't full proof. You might manage to get something worthwhile out of me."

"Like I need to," she teased giving his hand a squeeze. "If I want to know personal details of your life I just ask Kay."

"Kay doesn't know everything," he argued.

"He knows enough," Jyn said with a shrug, keying the door lock for the ship. "Hey Kay, what story would Cassian least like me to know?"

"You would have to specify why he would not like you knowing it," Kay answered from further into the ship. "For example some stories are personally embarrassing, some professionally embarrassing, some would perhaps make you less interested in him sexually, some might cause you to yell and get angry, while others may make you pity him. Without this additionally information it is hard to quantify, which story he would least like you to know."

"Oh the options," Jyn singsonged.

"Kay, stop telling her things," Cassian said as the ship door closed behind them.

"I assume you don't mean stop speaking to her entirely?" Kay asked and then clarified. "Although I'm willing to do so."

Cassian laughed. "I just meant stop telling her things I wouldn't want her to know."

"I will consider it," Kay said. "Although often I must tell her things you don't want her to know in order to keep you both functioning at peak performance levels. Organics often act irrationally and against their own best interests."

"I doubt telling her my porn preferences served any real purpose other than mortifying me," Cassian shot back, draping himself indolently in the copilot's chair next to Bodhi.

"We have been over this," Kay said in a tone that displayed his long-suffering annoyance. "All research indicates that sexual satisfaction is essential to human relationships no matter what form that takes, and yet humans often show a bizarre and absurd reluctance to be forthcoming about preferences and needs. How long it took you two to establish a relationship in the first place is a perfect situational example." Kay wandered towards the back of the ship in a huff and Jyn grinned.

"Feet off the dash," Bodhi said batting at Cassian's feet and hitting switches to power up the ship. "You're picking up Jyn's bad habits. What took you so long anyway? We're going to be late getting back to base."

"You have a date?" Cassian asked leaning forward with interest. Bodhi instantly colored and his mouth dropped open in shock.

"With who?" Jyn demanded.

"How did you?"

"Cassian is high on spice," Jyn filled in quickly. "Don't tell Kay, he'll be insufferable with his mothering. Who's your date? Where are you taking them?"

"You read my thoughts?" Bodhi demanded. "That's rude and invasive."

"Tell me about it," Jyn commiserated. "So who's your date?"

"It's not a date," Bodhi argued. "It's just a mission."

"A cozy mission for two," Cassian teased with a relaxed smirk. "Travelling through space for a couple days all by yourselves on a cake supply run. Wanna know how Jyn and I kept ourselves occupied the last time we scored one of those?" Jyn felt herself blushing worse than Bodhi had been a minute ago at the memories that evoked, and Cassian reached over and tugged her down sending her sprawling into his lap.

"I don't think I like him on spice," Bodhi said trying to focus on getting launch clearance. "Nor do I have any desired to know what you two got up to on your own or want a visual demonstration."

Jyn batted away Cassian's wandering hands and focused on Bodhi. "But who is it?"

"I'm not telling."

Jyn rolled her eyes. "I can just check mission logs when we get back, you know." Cassians lips started working their way up her neck and she planted her palm on his forehead and pushed him away. This was way more interesting than sex.

"Hey!"

Jyn ignored Cassian and leaned forward. "Come on, Bodhi, tell me who."

"It's not a date," Bodhi said keeping his eyes on the controls as he got launch clearance and guided them through takeoff. "I don't even know if he feels the same way."

"So it's a him. That narrows it down." Jyn hummed thoughtfully. Who had she seen Bodhi hanging out with lately? Couldn't be Kes Dameron, maybe Wedge Antilles? Or…

"You're getting hotter," Cassian said tucking her more firmly against him.

"You have a crush on Skywalker?"

"I hate both of you," Bodhi hissed navigating them into open space.

"I thought he had a thing for the princess? Han and him are constantly picking at each other over it," Jyn said thoughtfully.

"Like I said, it's nothing," Bodhi said deflating a bit in his seat.

"I heard he hooked up with one of the other male pilots though," Cassian said resting his chin on her shoulder.

"How do you know that?"

"Spy," Cassian said dryly. "We hear things."

"Shara was gossiping wasn't she?"

"I never reveal my sources," Cassian said biting the shell of her ear and sending a shiver down her spine.

"You're both disgusting to be around," Bodhi griped.

"It's not my fault he's spiced up," she argued as a hand crept further up her thigh. "And besides he has quality information. This means you have a chance. So what's the plan?"

"Plan?"

"Yeah, how are you going to seduce him?"

"Seduce him?" Bodhi squawked.

"Sure," Jyn said ignoring Cassian's other hand slipping under her shirt. "Maybe offer him a massage and a blowjob?" Cassian snorted into her back and she was sure if she could read his mind he'd be remembering their own easy supply run. The massage had started off innocently enough, but Cassian had made a certain noise and it might have gotten non-platonic fast.

Bodhi made an unimpressed sound. "Jyn."

She shrugged. "Worked for me." And seemed to be pulling double duty from what she could feel sitting in Cassian's lap. She shot him a look over her shoulder, "Think of the Empire, or Rogue watching us, or something." Cassian grimaced at that and backed off a little. "It'd probably be a little too strong of a come on for Skywalker though. Maybe talk him into cuddling up with a holo? I could probably make a deal to get you some good liquor to take along." Cassian pinched her side in protest and she squirmed in his lap.

"I don't need advice from the two of you, thank you very much," Bodhi said starting up the hyperdrive. "You're like the last people in the galaxy anyone should take relationship advice from."

"So we were a little slow off the starting line," Jyn argued. "I'd say we're doing pretty good." Cassian gave a hum of agreement and she squeaked in surprise when a hand squeezed her breast under her shirt, prompting her to jump away from his groping hands. "Down, boy."

"Oh, just go back to the cabin and deal with him," Bodhi said tossing his hands up. "Of course, you had to tag along for a pickup when he turns up high and horny."

Jyn stuck her tongue out at him. "Maybe I don't want to. Kay, come deal with your Captain."

"Not sure what Kay is supposed to do about that," Bodhi said nodding at Cassian's crotch.

Force, Cassian was going to be so embarrassed when he sobered up. "Probably," Cassian agreed standing up, "But that's a problem for another day. You really don't want to?"

"You're drugged out of you mind," Jyn said. "It'd be taking advantage."

"Fine with that," he mumbled pulling her towards him.

"Seriously, not in the cockpit," Bodhi said throwing a pair of goggles at them. "Or near me."

"What do you require, Cassian?" Kay asked sticking his head into the cockpit.

Bodhi laughed. "Nothing you want to supply. Take the copilot seat, Kay. Jyn and Cassian, for force sake, please leave."

"Yes, sir," Cassian said and Jyn gave a startled scream when he bent down and tossed her over his shoulder. He started back towards the cabin while Bodhi made gagging noises behind them.

"Cassian," she complained stifling a laugh. "You're not in your right mind."

She felt him shrug underneath her as he managed to get the door open before unceremoniously dropping her on the bed. "I was thinking." He started working on her pants and she didn't push him away. "That this is a good data gathering opportunity."

"Um, are you taking my pants off for research, because that's not what I thought was happening here."

"Something like that. Being able to read your thoughts presents an unprecedented opportunity to figure out exactly what you like and don't like."

"I'm pretty forthcoming with that information," she said with a laugh.

"Fine tuning is always a good idea," Cassian argued stripping off her pants. He leaned down to kiss her and she pulled him in tighter. It was a pity she wouldn't be able to fully return the favor. "Next time you can get high on spice and embarrass yourself in front of our friends," he offered.

"Luckily I can't pop public boners. You really are going to regret that when this wears off."

"Good thing we have hours to go. Now where to begin."

Kissing is a good start, she thought, and grinned when he leaned in again. Maybe lower. Cassian smiled at that thought and obeyed silently. Bodhi should be thanking her, who'd have dealt with him if she wasn't here? Cassian laughed into her thigh and she grinned. Bodhi was never going to let her come on pickup missions again.

* * *

 **A/N: Hope you all are enjoying the holidays! Now that I'm back from vacation I am hermiting in my apartment to avoid the cold and working on fanfics. Comments keep me warm at night ;) Hope you all have a happy new year!**


	6. A Couple of Cold Showers

"Hey, Captain Hard On!"

Cassian grit his teeth and wondered how badly he'd be reprimanded if he knocked the smuggler out. Probably not that badly. Solo rubbed most of the higher-ups the wrong way. Jyn probably wouldn't even care that much considering Cassian had been putting up with the nickname for a week now, often shouted down busy corridors if the man could manage it. "What do you want Solo?"

"Ah, don't get all testy," Solo said clapping him on the shoulder as he caught up to him and chortling at his own joke.

"Do you need something or not?"

"I need you to go get your girl," Han said with a shrug. "She's being impossible."

Cassian raised an eyebrow at that. "What are you talking about? Your mission log said no problems."

"I knew you were a stalker," Solo muttered and Cassian fought the urge to roll his eyes. So he checked their status occasionally, that did not make him a stalker. Honestly this was the first time he'd been relieved when they got a mission if only to get Solo off his back, but that was mainly because it'd been a low-risk mission to begin with. Solo clearly wasn't that concerned for Jyn, and Cassian really didn't have time for this. He had an intelligence meeting in ten minutes he really didn't want to be late for. He started walking again.

"Wait!" Solo called jogging to keep up with his brisk step down the hall. "You have to come get her before she gives herself hypothermia."

"She's not going to willingly give herself hypothermia," Cassian sighed. "Whatever nonsense the two of you are up to just don't get caught."

"She's as stubborn as her damn loth-cat," Solo argued. "I'm telling you she's going to freeze to death."

"Then make her stop doing whatever she's doing," Cassian said with a shrug. Honestly, he didn't even want to know. Their mission was fine. She was probably out in the snow trying to hide a batch of stolen liquor or something. Jyn was reckless when a mission called for it, but not stupid. She wasn't going to get herself killed over something idiotic like that.

"I would," Solo griped, "But I'm not going to drag her out naked for fear of grievous bodily harm from multiple sources."

That did make him miss a step. "What the kriff are you talking about? Why is she naked?"

"Because you don't take a shower with your clothes on," Solo answered.

Cassian felt like bashing his head into a wall. There was nothing more aggravating than talking to this man, and that included dealing with Kay on a stats frenzy. "Solo."

The smuggler obviously heard the threat in his voice and he held up his hands placating. "Look the sonics on the Falcon wouldn't do the trick so she wanted to try water. She was scared you'd be in your quarters so she used mine, but the hot water ran out at least ten minutes ago, and she's definitely going to die in there, and I'm not grabbing her naked so you're going to have to do it."

"Why would she be afraid to use the shower in our quarters if I was in there?" Cassian growled. That sounded to him like she was trying to hide an injury and avoid being forced to med bay, which meant Solo hadn't reported it or made her go, which meant both of them were in deep shit with him. "You know what? I don't even want to know. Just lead the way." He was going to kill them both. Following after Solo he shot a note off on his datapad that he was going to be a bit late to the meeting.

Entering Solo's room was both enlightening and disturbing. The place was a disaster. Cassian was pretty sure he saw a plate with food the mess had served a week ago discarded in a corner. An image of a wrench flying through the air on the Falcon and missing Jyn's head by a hair's breadth popped into his mind, and he made a mental note to anonymously recommend the two of them go through yet another flight safety course, especially if whatever injury Jyn had now was obtained on that ship.

"Kid," Solo hollered through the 'fresher door. "Captain Stiffy is here."

"Liar," Jyn shouted back. "You're not scaring me. Just leave me alone and go help Chewie on the Falcon or something."

"I don't make idle threats," Solo argued. "And I'm not dealing with him if you die of hypothermia in my shower. I don't like you _that_ much."

"Jyn, I'm coming in," Cassian stated through the door ignoring both of them. He heard a yelp from inside and a hurriedly shouted no, before she started yelling obscenities at Solo. "Jyn, what is going on? If you're hurt you need to report to med bay. I don't care how fine you feel. And if you're not hurt you're going to have to go to med bay soon regardless if you stay in ice cold water on Hoth."

"I'm fine," Jyn yelled. "Don't you have a meeting or something?"

"As a matter of fact, I do," Cassian said, "But I'm not going anywhere till you explain what the hell is going on."

"Solo is a narc," Jyn shouted back. "I'm not hurt. Go to your meeting."

Cassian muttered a few choice words under his breath and hit the door open. He didn't have time for whatever this was. "Jyn, honestly," he said as he entered the 'fresher, "What in the galaxy are you doing?" He jerked the shower door open and stared in shock.

"I'm not hurt," Jyn said miserably shivering under the frigid water and scrubbing at an arm.

He stared for another long moment before he pulled his datapad up and sent a message saying he wouldn't be attending the meeting after all. Then he reached out and grabbed her scrubbing hand. "Stop that. Come here." He turned the water off and pulled her out of the shower stall, debating whether or not Solo's towel was actually clean enough to wrap her in. Her body quaking under his hold convinced him that it was the better of two bad options and he bundled her up before tugging her into his arms. "Do I even want to know?"

"I dyed myself pink,' Jyn said plaintively.

"I can see that," he said with a snort. Her entire body from her hair to her toes had taken on a bright pink tone, other than her lips, which were turning blue from the cold. "Do I want to know why?"

Jyn gave a little groan and he ran his hands up and down her arms trying to rub some warmth back into her skin. She buried her face in his shoulder and muttered, "We were at that factory picking up fabric supplies, and I may have fallen in a dye vat."

"How did you manage that?"

"I may have been messaging you and not looking where I was going." Which would explain why she'd suddenly gone quiet in their conversation, which is also what had prompted him to check their mission log in the first place. He couldn't help it, he started to laugh. "It's not funny!" she yelled pulling away from him and smacking him in the arm.

"It's pretty funny," he argued. He could just picture her walking along staring at her datapad and tripping into a vat of pink dye.

"It's not! It come off," she huffed.

"You should still go to med bay and make sure there's nothing toxic seeping into your skin," he advised still grinning.

"Are you kidding me? I'm not going anywhere where anyone can see me. I barely made it to Solo's quarters without being seen."

"I guess you're living here now then."

"Oh no she's not," Han shouted from the other room. "I did you a solid and let you borrow the shower, kid, but you aren't sleeping over if we're not fucking."

"Gross!" Jyn yelled.

"Agreed, so you've got to go!"

"Fine," Jyn said getting a determined look. "If I can just manage to make it back to our quarters then you can bring me food there until this stuff comes off."

"I don't remember agreeing to that," Cassian replied amused.

"You really want to subject me to embarrassing myself in front of the entire base?" she demanded stomping one ridiculously cute pink bare foot, not that he'd ever be dumb enough to describe it that way out loud.

"It's not like they'll be yelling Captain Hard On down the corridors at you," Cassian answered wryly. He heard Solo laugh from the other room and once again debated punching the man.

"That wasn't me!" Jyn defended. "It's not my fault Bodhi got nervous on his supply run with Skywalker and couldn't think of a better story to tell. It's also not my fault Skywalker has a big mouth."

"Which was inconvenient for you when making liquor deals."

"I was teasing about that," she said. "Come on, Cassian, you aren't honestly going to ignore me in my hour of need are you?"

"It's not life threatening," he said with a shrug. "I'm sure you'll survive."

"Cassian," she whined jutting out her bottom lip and looking up at him with big eyes.

"Nu-uh, not working," he said still smiling. "You need to go to med bay."

She crossed her arms and glared. "What I _need_ is for you to help me get to our quarters and then help me hide."

"Maybe med bay has something that can remove it."

"You're the worst," she pouted tossing the towel away and tugging her clothes back on hastily. "You might as well just go to your meeting because there's no way I'm going anywhere but our room." She wrapped a scarf up over her face and tugged the hood of her coat up to further disappear into the layers. "For once being on Hoth is a lifesaver."

She stomped out of the 'fresher with him trailing behind her. Years of training had him wiping the amused look off his face into something more neutral in Solo's presence, and he barely lifted an eyebrow when Jyn got in Solo's face and jabbed him in the chest. "I can't believe you went and got him. So much for honor among thieves."

Solo just shrugged. "You were going to die in that shower. I wasn't explaining to the ice princess or Captain Hard On why your dead pink naked body was in my 'fresher. We're not that good of friends."

Jyn's eyes narrowed. "Is that so? Well, if we're not that good of friends then I suppose there's no reason for me to keep that story about what happened on Quanton to myself."

Solo glared. "You wouldn't."

"Try me."

The two engaged in a glaring fight, and Cassian fought the urge to rub his temple where a headache was forming. How Chewie dealt with the two of them in isolation was a mystery. Solo broke first. "Fine, I'm sorry. Next time I'll let you die in my room."

Jyn gave a self-satisfied smile. "And no more Captain Hard On or anything like it."

"Aww, come on, it's funny. Andor doesn't mind, do you? He's above that." Cassian met that with stony silence.

"It's not Cassian's fault he's incredibly attracted to me," Jyn said with a teasing lilt to her tone, and this time Cassian really did roll his eyes. "Lay off it."

"Fine," Solo grunted. "Now get out of my room. You two aren't any fun."

Jyn grabbed Cassian's hand and tugged him out the door and down the hallway at a quick clip. Honestly her method of avoiding anyone finding out she was pink was probably more embarrassing than the cause since it consisted of her bolting down corridors with him reluctantly in tow and checking around corners before navigating the next route to their quarters. She made it successfully without being stopped by anyone though, so he supposed he couldn't knock her methods.

"Shut the door," Jyn demanded as Rogue slammed into her legs in welcome. "Hey, Rogue." She started stripping off all her layers, and the loth-cat got one good look at her pink face before puffing into a ball of fur, back arched, and hissing. "Very funny," Jyn groused.

Cassian couldn't help but grin. "I don't think Rogue has a sense of humor." The cat leapt up on the desk away from Jyn and continued to growl. "I'm not sure he's a fan of your makeover."

She threw her gloves at Cassian's head and he dodged. "Rogue, it's just me you silly thing," she coaxed holding out a hand for him to sniff. The loth-cat was decidedly uninterested in peace and darted up to a shelf to continue grumbling at her. "Fine, whatever." Jyn threw herself down on the bed with a dramatic flourish.

"So what now?" Cassian asked not bothering to hide his amusement.

"Now you go down to the mess and bring dinner back," Jyn said.

"I still don't remember agreeing to that."

"Cassian, come on. Help a girl out."

"This is ridiculous. You don't know how long that dye is going to stay. What if it takes weeks to get off? You can't just hide in here. Even in the short term, don't you have new recruits to teach tomorrow? You're clearly not getting it off by then. Furthermore, I still think you should check in with medical and make sure it's not poisoning you."

"I am not going to be the entire rebellion's butt monkey just because I was stupidly distracted by messaging you." She crossed her arms and scowled at him. "Really this is all your fault."

Cassian barked a laugh at that. "Is that really the story you're going with? How was I supposed to know you needed to be paying attention to where you were going? You could have ignored my messages for a few minutes and properly navigated around the vat of dye."

"You get worked up when I ignore you," she defended.

"I do not!"

"There was once an entire rescue team suited up and ready to fly out at your command when I didn't respond."

"For three days, Jyn! You didn't respond for three days, and you and Solo missed your check in by two."

Jyn waved that logic away with her hand. "Whatever, you're overprotective and I had to message you back or you'd have sent a rescue mission, and therefore it's your fault I'm pink. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it."

"Well, I'm sure everyone will be interested to hear it at dinner in the mess," he said smirking.

"Casssiiiiiaaaaaannn."

"Nope, no way. You've just insulted me, and implied you're going to place blame on me. No way am I bringing you back dinner now. Didn't anyone ever teach you not to bite the hand that feeds you?"

"But you take criticism so much better than me," she pleaded with big round eyes. "Couldn't you just take the blame?"

Cassian snorted. "That is a truly terrible argument. Teasing is good for you, builds character." Which was a sentence she often uttered to him when he muttered about Solo being on his case. "Besides if you show up to the mess bright pink maybe everyone will stop talking about me."

"Again, take it up with Bodhi! I don't know why I'm being punished because he was trying to impress Skywalker."

"I'm not getting you dinner."

"I'll make it worth your while! Get dinner and I'll make you dessert." She wiggled her eyebrows with the innuendo and he gave her an unimpressed look. He leaned forward and kissed her. She responded swiftly, and he deepened it slipping a hand up into her shirt and putting a knee on the bed to press her back and down. Her legs came up quickly enough to wrap around his middle and he pulled back.

"Like I need to bring you dinner for that," he quipped with a self-satisfied grin.

Her hazy eyes refocused and glared before she hit his shoulder and unwrapped her legs from his waist to push him away with her feet. He went easily and laughing. "You're the worst boyfriend ever."

"I'm going to report to Draven and find out what I missed in this meeting, while I was being the worst boyfriend ever," he said with a smile. "And then I'm going to dinner. I hope you'll join me." Her only answer was a boot bouncing off the door as it shut behind him.

* * *

Jyn was a stubborn thing. He'd always known that, but he still sighed when he came back from dinner, where she never showed up, only to hear their shower running again. If she kept this up she was going to just completely scrub her skin off. Just for that he wasn't telling her about the protein bars he'd smuggled back for her in his pockets. He took his boots off and changed into sleep clothes hoping she'd come to her senses in the intervening time and come out herself.

When he was done he gave another long-suffering sigh and entered the 'fresher without knocking. "Jyn."

"I'm fine!"

"How long have you been in there?" There was certainly no steam in the 'fresher to indicate that there was still hot water to be had.

"Not that long." The waver in her voice implied shivering though.

"You're going to make yourself sick. Come out." He pulled the door back and she was now a shade closer to purple as her skin turned blue under the pink dye.

"I think it's slightly less bad," she chattered through her teeth.

"You're going to have to come to terms with being pink," he said tugging her hand and pulling her out of the icy water and turning it off. "If you go back in there I swear I'm tossing you out into the hallway."

"You could try," she said with a scowl.

"Just come to bed." He left her to her own devices and laid down under the blankets. He told himself he was not going to physical drag her into sense. If she wanted to go back and freeze to death that was her choice. Luckily a few minutes later she tucked in next to him and pushed her frozen hands and feet between his legs and arms.

"You really didn't bring me any food?"

He scoffed. "I told you I wouldn't."

"Yeah, but I didn't believe you." She pressed her icy nose into his throat and he shivered. "Mmm, you're warm." She cuddled closer.

"Check my coat pockets if you're hungry."

He felt her grin where she'd pressed her face into his throat. "I knew it. Maybe later. Too tired and warm." He pulled her closer and closed his eyes, content to go to sleep and deal with her pink problems in the morning.

* * *

She was having a nightmare. It was always easy to identify when it was happening because of the tossing and turning. Jyn usually slept like a rock. She didn't make any noise with her nightmares though, survival instinct beaten deep into her. Her leg kicked out again, which is likely what had woken him up in the first place, and he reached for her fuzzily. "Jyn, wake up, it's a bad dream."

He touched her shoulder and she jerked and swung. He gave a grunt as her fist impacted with his stomach, but it was sloppy and uncoordinated so it at least didn't cause any real damage. He caught her wrist and tried again. "Jyn, come on, wake up." He reached out to touch her face and cursed. She was burning up. "Jyn." He shook her a little harder and her eyes snapped open, but she had trouble focusing.

"Cassian?" she asked groggily.

"I told you you were going to get sick," he sighed. "You've got a fever." She groaned and nestled her fever-heated face into his chest. "We need to go to med bay."

Her only response was to creep closer and seemingly go back to sleep. Cassian shifted and climbed over her to get out of bed. "Come on," he urged trying to get her upright. She made a pitiful little noise and curled in on herself. Cassian ran a frustrated hand through his hair and debated his options. He couldn't carry her deadweight all the way there, and that was the best-case scenario as once she regained any lucidity she'd undoubtedly fight him on it. It'd probably just be easier to bring a medic to her considering she'd presumably just made herself sick and wouldn't need to stay there overnight anyway. As a captain he could more than likely pull rank and talk someone into it. Bundling back up for the cold, he tucked her restless sleeping form back in before entering the frigid halls of Echo base.

When he returned with a young medic who was unlucky enough to pull the night shift in tow, the room was empty. He had a brief start of panic before he saw the light under the 'fresher door. That was it. He was going to yell at her this time if she was back in that damn shower. Cassian slammed on the door open and rounded the corner to find her once again in the shower, only this time fully clothed with her back to the wall, wild eyed and a blaster pointed at him.

"Cassian?" she asked shakily, her eyes still foggy with the fever. "I woke up, and you weren't here."

"And you reacted by grabbing a blaster and hiding in the shower?" He put his hands up and edged towards her as she still hadn't dropped the blaster.

"It isn't safe to be sick," she said breathing heavily.

He felt his chest constrict at that. Having caught Dantari flu on an undercover mission when he was all alone he could sympathize with that. How often had Jyn gotten sick and been completely unprotected after Saw had dumped her? Had it even been safe when she was with Saw? From the little he knew Saw wasn't a nurturing man. Sickness was a liability, not something to be coddled. For all growing up an orphan in the Rebellion had been hard and lonely at least there had been kindness and compassion among the rebels themselves. He'd never not had a med bay to report to or a superior who understood the necessity of being in full health to execute missions. How many hard corners had Jyn wedged herself into with a blaster in her hands to wait out a fever?

"Jyn," he coaxed. "I only went to get a medic. She's in the other room waiting to take a look at you. We'll get some medicine in you, and you'll feel better in the morning. Can you put the blaster down?"

She blinked sluggishly, but lowered the blaster to her side. "You'll stay?"

"Of course I'll stay," he said moving towards her slowly. He crouched down and worked the blaster away from her limp clammy fingers. "Come on, up we go." He gently hauled her to her feet and led her out of the bathroom. She leaned heavily against him and she was like a furnace at his side. She dropped into the bed with a groan.

"Can you sit up?" the medic asked her. Jyn made a muffled noise and buried herself further into the blankets. Cassian toed off his boots and climbed into the bed next to Jyn, softly pulling her upright in his lap. "You weren't kidding about her being pink."

"I don't know if the dye is related to the fever," he said resisting the urge to pull Jyn closer and comfort her when she made a little noise of distress. "But I figured you might want to test for toxicity."

"Yeah, of course," the medic said springing to life and opening the med kit she'd brought along.

"This is all your fault," Jyn muttered.

"Don't start on that again."

"You distract me, make me stupid," she said fisting a hand into his pant leg. "You sent that idiotically sweet message, and I just wanted to reward you." Sweet message? What in the world was she talking about? Most of their messages on her last mission had been direct and to the point, basic communications to let the other know they were still alive and they had someone in the galaxy who cared about that fact. The medic was running a sensor over her skin and looking at the readouts, but he could tell half her attention was on their conversation. This entire base could do with a refresher course on privacy policies.

"No need for a reward," Cassian muttered into Jyn's temple, before turning back to the medic. "Anything?"

The girl jumped slightly at finding his attention focused on her, and then rushed to say, "The dye is non-toxic. It shouldn't be causing this. It's more likely she just caught a virus and it was aggravated by the cold. Can you get her to sit up straighter so I can get a listen to her lungs?"

"Good behavior should be rewarded," Jyn argued weakly as he tried to shift her up.

He gave a soft snort. "Jyn, I don't even know what I did. If you want to reward me just sit up and let the medic check you."

She struggled against gravity for a second, but with his hand on her bicep lending support she was able to manage it. The medic moved forward with a stethoscope and Jyn shivered when the cold metal worked up under her shirt and touched her skin. "You sent that picture of you and Rogue and told me to come home quick." Ah, that. It'd been an impulsive thing one night alone in his quarters wishing she were back on base with Rogue curled up next to him. A terrible picture in unflattering light that he'd just thought might make her smile. "That you both were missing me."

The medic froze and he could see her watching him out of the corner of her eyes. He sighed internally. He knew his reputation around base for being cold and robotic – a scary, unapproachable, and ruthlessly efficient Intelligence agent. Given Jyn and Bodhi were eroding that image day by day without even really trying. He was sure this was one more rumor that would be swirling by tomorrow; Cassian Andor – lonely cat dad. Solo was going to get a ton of new material for nicknames. "Jyn, if you talk she can't listen to your lungs."

Jyn fell silent and followed the medics instructions to breathe deeply. Well at least for a breath or two that was. "It was a good reward too. I had it all planned out."

"Jyn, you can give it to me later," he said. "For now just breathe."

"I can't now," she pouted. "We have to be apart for it to work, and I'm pink. Stupid pink dye ruined everything. I suppose I could have sent you sexy messages without pictures, but Shara said it's better when you get to the pictures and video bits. Her and Kes do it all the time. I would have started the photos with something nice too, like a boob."

Cassian did his best not to react to that and redirect her thoughts elsewhere. Not that he didn't find the concept of sending dirty messages to each other when they were off base interesting, but it was probably an idea best discussed when they were both lucid and alone. "Jyn, the faster you breathe quietly, the faster we can get some medicine for you and the medic can go back to her post."

Jyn slumped back into the bed unconcerned and with fever-hazed eyes. "But of course I couldn't do it once I got dyed pink. Then you would have just wondered why I was sending you a picture of a twi'lek titty."

The medic made a little choked noise and pulled her stethoscope back. "Her lungs sound clear enough," the girl said with a shrug at his pointed look. She picked up another scanner and ran it over Jyn.

"I mean I could have sent a really graphic vag shot, but I figured that was escalating the whole thing too fast," Jyn said with a tiny displeased noise. "Shara says the good dirty talk is all about building suspense. But you can't build suspense when you're pink. Then you would have just been asking me questions about whether it was toxic and if I needed medical, and that's not sexy at all Cassian."

"Jyn, we'll talk about this later. Get some rest." Cassian switched his focus and cleared his throat giving the medic a hard look. "Well?"

The girl flushed and rushed to read the results that were flashing across her scanner. "I'm not getting any abnormal bacterial readings. Probably the best we can do is a fever reducer and wait it out." The woman rummaged around in her bag and came back with a few pill packets.

Cassian gave a sharp nod and prodded an already dozing Jyn back under the blankets. "I'll see that she takes it," he said holding out his hand to accept the pills and guiding the medic towards the door. He should just let it go. There was more than likely going to be gossip regardless of what he did, and at least this time it wouldn't be focused on him. The door slid open and he glanced back at Jyn curled up in the bed. He was such a sucker.

"Specialist Jonalis," he said in the coldest Captain voice he could muster. The girl jumped, clearly surprise he'd marked her name at all. "Thank you for your assistance. I'm sure I don't need to remind you about patient confidentiality."

"Of course not, sir," she said shooting a nervous look down the hallway.

"Good," he said casually. "I'm sure I have nothing to worry about as there were only three witnesses to that conversation, so if anything were to get around base it would be obvious where it originated from."

"Sir, I would never," she stuttered.

"I know," he said with a relaxed shrug. "But it's natural to tell just one friend about an interesting case you worked on. In my line of work I've discovered information acts like a virus though, the second it jumps from one person to another it spreads fast and generally uncontrollably. And then more often than not the unfortunate task of cleaning up the mess and silencing it falls to Intelligence. But medical doesn't have that problem, I know you all have your priorities straight over there." He gave her a cheerless grin and the girl's eyes flickered nervously. "Have a good night, Specialist Jonalis."

"Yes, sir," the girl squeaked and scrambled down the hall.

He managed to suppress his small chuckle until the door closed behind him. He grabbed a glass of water and made his way back to the bed.

"Come on, Jyn, sit up and swallow this."

She cracked an eye open at him. "I told you we have to be apart to do dirty messaging."

"I meant these pills," he said dryly. "We're going to readdress the sex messaging when your fever breaks and you aren't pink."

"You don't want to?" she asked struggling to help him as he got her back into a sitting position.

"I didn't say that." He held out the pills and she took them without protest.

"I was looking forward to it," Jyn pouted. "Debated doing it when I knew you'd be in a meeting, but didn't want to give you another pubic boner."

"You're sweet like that," he said sarcastically. "Lay down and try to go back to sleep." He stood up to refill the glass and her fingers caught his sleeve.

"Are you leaving?" she looked relaxed, but he could feel the tension in her fingers.

"No, Jyn, just getting water for you and I'll be right back. Blaster's on the side table." She glanced over at it and back up at him. "I promise. Give me a minute and I'll be back in bed with you."

She dropped her hold on him and curled up in a ball. By the time he made it back to the bed she was asleep again, and he wrapped an arm around her. He was going to have to have Kay help him build a software program that would encrypt his and Jyn's messages to each other before the dye faded. The last thing their reputations needed was the intelligence agents that monitored the base chatter getting their hands on those conversations or any future nude shots. He'd have to come up with a better excuse for Kay in the morning though, as right now he just wanted to sleep with the woman he really had missed in his arms.

* * *

 **A/N: I had to get even for spiced out Cassian in this chapter with Jyn embarrassing herself. If you're out there, I'd love to hear thoughts as seems kind of dead activity-wise. Seems like all of the RebelCapatain community is over on AO3.  
**

 **Also on an unrelated note I just saw The Last Jedi and it was eh for me. Like I enjoyed the movie because it's still Star Wars, and really liked specific moments, but overall didn't really think it was that good, if that makes sense? My love for Poe Dameron is real though. Guess I still just like Rouge One better, ha.**


	7. Festian Customs

Cassian was pale in her arms and bleeding from a gash on his head. It wasn't the first time and probably wouldn't be the last, but each time it made her feel like her heart was going to break apart. They were on the floor of the Millennial Falcon as they shot through hyperspace and Jyn was trying desperately not to count the passing minutes until they reached Home One.

"I'm ok," Cassian rasped out again, and she tried unsuccessfully to wipe the obvious worry from her face. "Jyn, I'm ok."

He wasn't ok, but he was a fantastic liar even now. Birander's information had been good. That was the last message the Alliance had received before Cassian had gone MIA.

Jyn was pretty sure Draven had been this close to ordering a hit on her as she'd spent the week between Cassian going missing and the attack on the Imperial outpost demanding to know if he'd heard anything. All Draven had been willing to say was that it was above her clearance level over and over again.

She'd never been more grateful to Han than when, during the tactical mission prep, he'd simply stated that they'd be part of the Pathfinder's ground assault. It wasn't his place to demand that, but the princess had merely taken one look at him and one glance at Jyn and nodded her head before getting on with the rest of the assignments.

Kes Dameron had been well aware they had their own agenda for the mission. He'd been accommodating with his commands. She'd known if Cassian was still alive then he'd be in the holding cells. It'd actually been relatively simple for all the distraction the rest of the rebel forces gave them. No one was concentrated on keeping a prisoner when they ran the risk of losing the whole outpost.

She, Kay, Han, and Chewie had had an easy enough time fighting their way in and finding Cassian. He'd been alive and conscious shackled to a wall. She wasn't naïve enough to think that meant he was fine. Interrogation droids could do plenty of harm without leaving much of a mark. Her fears had been confirmed when Kay broke him free and tried to pull him to his feet. Cassian had cried out in pain and been unable to keep his face neutral as he crumpled against the droid. His interrogators had clearly gone after his Scarif injuries in the process of torturing him. In the end Kay had had to throw him over his shoulder and carry him out, which had done nothing to alleviate her fears.

The assault on the outpost was going off without a hitch as they fled, and Kes had told them to go on ahead. Not that Jyn would have waited without the command. She was getting Cassian out of there one way or another.

And here they were shooting through space with her holding his broken and beaten body in her lap again, bringing up all sorts of terrible memories. How much longer until their chances were spent? Kay's clunking footsteps drew her attention from Cassian.

"A bacta patch for the head wound," Kay said thrusting a med kit at her. "Everything else will have to be tended to by medics once we reach Home One."

Jyn took the proffered kit and applied the patch, trying not to jostle the prone man in her lap. "How bad?"

"I'm fine," Cassian said again though the crack in his voice argued the truth of his words.

"Wasn't asking you," Jyn grumbled looking up at the droid.

"It is difficult to tell," Kay answered. "From outward appearances and basic scans the damage is severe. With proper medical treatment there is a 72.5% chance that Cassian will walk again. Internal bleeding from the beatings and nerve damage from the electroshock are the most pressing concerns. Chemical torture can also have long term side effects that can be unpredictable based on the dosage and combination."

"Shut the kriff up," Han said coming back to the lounge. "You're freaking the kid out."

"Jyn Erso is the one who asked," Kay snapped back.

"Jyn Erso doesn't always know what's best for her," Han said mocking the droid's use of her full name. "You'll be fine, won't you Captain Perfect?"

Cassian gave a grunt of agreement, but a shudder racked his body and Jyn struggled between wanting to pull him closer and being cautious not to hurt him with further movement. Of course this would be the only time the men agreed. Idiots, the both of them.

"How far out are we?" she asked not bothering to hide the near panic in her voice.

"ETA is 20 minutes," Han said and she felt his steady hand drop on her shoulder. "What couldn't kill him in a week isn't going to do it in the next 20 minutes. We commed ahead and they'll have a medical team waiting."

"Hear that," Jyn said pushing Cassian's hair out of his face and trying to ignore how pale he was under a too long and scraggly beard. "We'll be on Home One soon and there'll be all the bacta and painkiller you could want. It'll be fine, and I'll be with you every step of the way."

"That is categorically untrue," Kay said and Jyn felt Han's hand squeeze her shoulder at the words and drop away from her.

"Would you shut up, you bucket of bolts?"

"Kay," Cassian started, but then began coughing so violently it shook his whole body, and Jyn tried her hardest not to unravel completely when she saw flecks of blood at his lips. Just 20 more minutes.

"It is a simple fact," Kay continued clearly offended. "Only direct relations are allowed to stay with the patient, and Jyn Erso is not one. She will have to submit to normal visiting hours like everyone else."

A vice closed around her heart at the thought of watching them take Cassian away and not being able to get to him. She'd snuck in to the med bay before and she could certainly do it again, but the thought was exhausting. Kay was right; even if she did slip in and out it'd be more of the same stony silence she'd gotten from Draven about his actual condition unless Cassian was awake and forthcoming. She didn't have the clearance to know anything going on with Cassian.

"The princess will be understanding," Han said quietly. "Even if you were related they wouldn't let you in to most of the medical procedures. Leia can help with med bay protocol."

"If she has time," Jyn said shaking her head. The princess had a rebellion to lead and couldn't waste time making an exception for every friend. There really was only one solution. She cupped Cassian's face gently and turned him towards her so she could see his eyes, blurry with pain as they were. "Marry me."

"What?" he croaked and she heard Han curse and Kay make that noise he did when something surprised him or didn't fit his statistical predictions.

"If I'm your wife, they'll have to let me go with you," Jyn said and was surprised by the calmness in her voice and in her own emotions. It was the simplest solution, the best one.

"Hate to break it to you kid, but there's more to it than just declaring you're married," Han said from somewhere to her right. She didn't look away from Cassian's face.

"You're a captain, aren't you Han?" Jyn demanded. "A captain of a ship can marry people when you're in space without access to other officials as long as there is a witness."

"She is technically correct," Kay said into the silence that followed. "Although paperwork will have to be filled out upon return planet side. Given that paperwork is Imperial in nature so most Alliance marriages are not technically official anyway."

Cassian was staring up at her wide eyed and she gave him a grin that was more confident then she felt in the moment. "So what do you say, Captain Andor? Will you marry me?"

A sputtering little laugh eked its way between his lips and he winced at the pain it set off in his body. "I'm not dying, Jyn. This isn't necessary."

"Who said anything about necessary?" Jyn countered with a shrug. "I want to marry you. Don't you want to marry me? No sense putting it off." And she'd never been one to balk at plunging head first into something, especially something as easy as this. Cassian was the only man she ever wanted in her future.

"It will make medical easier to deal with," Kay piped up. "It is also statistically unlikely for a relationship to survive a rejected marriage proposal, which would mean I have wasted hours of observation and research into Jyn Erso's daily programming and maintenance if you say no."

Jyn rolled her eyes and dropped a hand to hold on to Cassian's. "We wouldn't want Kay to have wasted his time would we? Cassian, you won't regret it, I promise."

"Regret it?" he asked from her lap in a disbelieving tone, and then he gave a harsh breath out and flicked his eyes to Han still hovering near them. "Do it."

"You're both karking crazy, you know that right?"

"Solo, shut up and marry us," Jyn said firmly smiling down at Cassian.

"It's not like I know how!"

"Make it up!" Jyn demanded.

"Fine," Han said crossing his arms. "Kid, do you want to be married to Andor?"

"Yes," she said giving Cassian's hand a gentle squeeze.

"And Andor, you wanna marry her?"

"Yes," Cassian rasped out returning the squeeze.

"Then fine, you're married, I guess. Kiss or whatever you do on your home planets."

Jyn rolled her eyes at his irritation, but leaned down awkwardly all the same and pressed a small chaste kiss to Cassian's cracked lips. "See? Easy."

Cassian made a small amused sound and then had his body wracked by another coughing fit. Jyn tried to steady him and panicked when she felt him go limp and quiet in her arms. "Cassain?"

"He's unconscious," Kay supplied. "But his vitals are holding."

"Han?" she asked desperately.

Chewie roared from the cockpit. "Ten minutes, kid," Han said patting her back. "He'll be ok. We're going to drop out of hyperspace shortly." That said the man went back to the cockpit leaving her sitting on the ground clutching Cassian to her body and chanting Chirrut's old mantra in her head.

* * *

Everything hurt, but maybe less than it had before? Cassian let himself drift a bit before finding enough strength to open his eyes and assess his current situation. Med bay, that was good. Looked to be Home One, although he hadn't spent a lot of time on the Alliance flagship over the years. Now to see what was broken, he shifted and a small hand wrapped around his bicep to still him.

"The medics don't want you moving around," Jyn said firmly. "The Imperials did a number on your old back injuries."

"Jyn."

"Hi," she said dropping her hand from his arm, and he risked getting yelled at to grab it and lace his fingers with hers. "You scared me there at the end. You're not allowed to cough blood and black out."

"Noted," he said with a soft smile. "I'll be ok."

"You always say that, regardless of whether or not it's true."

"What do the medics say?"

"That it'll be a long recovery and you're going to need physical therapy if you ever want to walk again," Jyn said. "They're still flushing toxins out of your system and trying to repair nerve damage. Your spleen had ruptured and they barely caught it in time to let you keep it."

"But overall I'm fine?"

Jyn snorted and dropped his hand. "For now, if that's your definition of fine. Intelligence also wants to speak with you to see if you compromised any information while being tortured."

Cassian nodded. "I'm surprised Draven isn't already in here breathing down my neck." He watched Jyn go pink, almost back to the color she'd been when she'd fallen in that vat of dye, and turn away. He lifted an eyebrow. "Is there a reason he isn't?"

Jyn glanced up at the ceiling and leaned back in the chair she was perched in. "Technically speaking, your wife might have denied him access." Cassian gave a start that set him off in a small coughing fit. Jyn bolted from his bedside to bring a glass of water to his lips. Once he was done sputtering she placed it aside and curled down into the chair again, biting her lip nervously. "Do you remember before you blacked out on the Millennial Falcon?"

"You mean, do I remember marrying you," Cassian said softly, wishing she'd make eye contact again. "Yes." She glanced up at him from under her fringe and the pink stayed on her cheeks.

"You don't have to stay married to me," Jyn offered. "You could probably make the case that you were delusional from pain or whatever else the Empire had pumped you full of."

"Did you not mean it when you asked me?" He schooled his face into the neutral mask that was often easier than showing his real emotions after all these years anyway.

"I did, of course I did," Jyn stammered, "But you don't have to feel obligated."

"I said yes, didn't I?" Cassian asked extending his arm. He couldn't reach her without sitting up in a way that was impossible for him right now, but she eyed the hand like a startled loth-cat before taking it and slipping closer again. "I can't imagine Draven is too happy with you right now."

"Draven is never happy with me," Jyn answered with a small pleased smile and a half shrug. "But in medical matters your wife outweighs your commanding officer. Kay had a whole list of rules and regulations he threw at him. If I didn't know better, I'd say he made half of them up on the spot."

Cassian felt warm and light despite everything still hurting and the inability to make his legs respond quite right to his brains commands. That was something to focus on another day. "They just accepted that Han married us?"

"Well, you have a lot of paperwork to sign, but there isn't a lot of arguing they could do with an irritated wookiee, a riled-up Imperial security droid, an annoyed smuggler, and one very insistent criminal wife."

"I wish I'd been awake for that," he said with a fond smile. He'd probably get an earful for that entrance as well.

"Don't worry, there are at least five different variations of it making their rounds through the rumor mill already," Jyn said brushing his hair back from his eyes. "In one I threaten to space myself if they don't let me come with you."

Cassian groaned. "Sounds like something out of a holodrama."

"Yeah, Bodhi enjoyed that one quite a bit," Jyn agreed.

"Bodhi is here? How long have I been out?"

"Three days," Jyn answered.

"Did we win?"

"Yeah, we won."

"Anyone?"

"Not anyone we were close with," Jyn said seriously. "Bodhi, Skywalker, the Damerons – they all made it out ok."

"I should speak with Draven."

"You just woke up," she argued.

"While I appreciate the much more pleasant wake up," Cassian said rubbing a thumb over her knuckles. "I do need to debrief him. From what I remember of it, I didn't give away anything that damaging, but a week is a long time and some information was necessary to keep them off the trail of more important information. I don't want anyone getting burned because of me."

Jyn pursed her lips, but nodded. "I'll get him, but if you want him out you just say."

Cassian smiled. "And my wife will come running to my rescue?"

"Of course," Jyn said with a firm nod. She stood up and kissed his forehead before heading for the door.

The conversation with Draven was serious and to the point, and both of them studiously ignored Jyn steadily pacing outside the door.

"It sounds like you didn't compromise much," Draven said after an hour or so. "We'll do our best to handle it."

Draven stood and Cassian told himself to let it go, but couldn't. Perhaps some of Jyn's impulsiveness was rubbing off on him after all. "You didn't ask me about the lullaby."

Draven paused and turned back to him. "I assume it was not an option."

"There was a chance when they first grabbed me," Cassian admitted. A silence descended on the room. He didn't know why he'd offered that bit of information up. It was usually best not to admit to one's own incompetence, but it had to be said.

Draven sighed and pinched his nose, before sending a glare towards the small brunette still passing by the door window every minute or so. "What I mean, Captain, is that I assume it will rarely be an option for you moving forward. It wasn't a surprise. Men have fought to survive over less. Despite what you, or she, may think, I don't hate your wife, Captain."

Hearing someone else address her that way made his heart lurch and then beat overtime. Somehow it made it more real then just him and Jyn passing the words back and forth. "It's compromised me as an agent."

Draven huffed and sat back down. "It was bound to happen. Honestly, I was surprised you lasted as long as you did as you were." Cassian jerked his head up at that. "No man is an island, Captain, and I've known you since you were a child."

"You've always seemed," Cassian searched for the word. "Displeased by our relationship."

"Of course, I am," Draven said. "Despite knowing it was inevitable if you lived long enough, I don't enjoy losing a valuable asset. You're a good intelligence officer, Andor, but you used to be a great one. Everything has its price. All the same, I don't begrudge you what little happiness you can find. Men like us don't often get to see the future we're fighting for." Draven leaned back in the chair. "I will, of course, deny every word of this if it's repeated."

"I'm good at keeping secrets, sir," Cassian said with a small smile.

"Besides," Draven said standing. "You won me quite a good amount of credits."

"Sir?" Cassian asked startled.

"I bet Mon Mothma and the princess that you two would be married before the year was out."

Cassian choked on his own laugh as Draven left the room looking just as professional as ever and Jyn curiously poked her head back in.

"What?" Jyn demanded.

"Nothing important," he answered with a grin he couldn't hide. "Everything is fine."

"It took a while," Jyn said eyeing him suspiciously.

"We're thorough."

"Mmmhmm," she said and lifted an eyebrow.

"So you lived?" a voice boomed from the doorway.

"Solo," he greeted.

"Kid practically worked herself into an early grave," Solo supplied. "Not to mention your droid. Glad to see you're awake."

"Where is Kay?" Cassian asked.

Jyn flushed again and he gestured for her to go on. "Some people may have made a stink over the legality of your marriage," Han supplied instead. "Your droid decided it was his mission to fix it."

"You might have some complaints when you get out of med bay," Jyn admitted. "Kay said something about me being contractually obligated to assist you if the marriage went through and then stomped off to 'finalize things'."

Cassian gave a soft tired smile. "Told you he liked you."

"I'm still not sure I count that as liking me," Jyn said moving to his bedside. "You should get some rest."

"Aww, look at you, kid," Han mocked. "What a concerned little wifey."

"Shut up, and get out you moof milker," she jeered, but her hand still ran comfortingly down Cassian's arm. Han made a rude gesture and laughed before making himself scarce. They were left in reassuring quiet for a few minutes before he heard the unmistakable sound of Kay's footsteps.

"Cassian, you're awake. Have you been informed of your medical prognosis?"

"Yes, Kay," he said with a fond smile. "I'll be alright. I've debriefed Draven as well."

"Excellent, one less thing to handle," Kay said. "You'll be pleased to know other than a few signatures your marriage is official. Jyn Andor is now your property."

Cassian groaned. "Kay, that's not what marriage is."

"It is where the tradition originates from, and is today still used to signify ownership or else would be entirely pointless. It is to mark things that are now off limits to others."

"Kay, I'm too tired to debate you right now, but I don't own Jyn."

The droid cocked his head to the side and gave a mechanical whirr that sounded doubtful. "All evidence points to the contrary. She is no longer allowed other sexual partners, she has moved her possessions into your quarters, her loth-cat responds favorably to you, you may make medical decisions on her behalf and have access to her personal files-"

Cassian interrupted. "It's a partnership, not ownership. If you want to look at it that way, Jyn also has those rights over me."

"Ownership lies with who holds the deed," Kay stated simply. "And the deed is in your name, Cassian."

"What?"

"It is Jyn Andor, not Cassian Erso."

"Since when?" Jyn demanded.

"Since I pushed the paperwork through."

"I didn't say I'd change my name!"

"It is Festian custom to take the man's last name," Kay advised.

"Kay, I do not own Jyn," Cassian said firmly. "Jyn, we'll figure out the paperwork later. He didn't mean any harm."

"Stupid droid," Jyn muttered.

"Cassian needs rest, Jyn Andor," Kay assessed, and Cassian was halfway convinced Kay did it intentionally just to irk her. "We should go."

Cassian grabbed her hand. "Stay?"

"Of course."

"See? She even follows commands now." Jyn shot the droid an unimpressed look, and Cassian rubbed a comforting thumb over her wrist. He really didn't want to suffer through a fight, and he really did want her to stay.

"Kay, we'll see you in the morning." Cassian glared to emphasis the point and for once the droid seemed to catch on saying his goodbyes and exiting. "We'll fix whatever he did."

Jyn sighed. "To be fair, I left him to it."

Cassian chuckled and tugged her closer. "You want me to be Cassian Erso?"

She snorted. "No, no one wants that last name."

"I'd be honored," Cassian said truthfully. He didn't care what people thought of her father. He knew the truth. Erso wasn't a name he'd be ashamed of having.

She pressed her forehead against his. "You're a good man, Cassian Andor."

"Stay with me?" he asked with a sleepy little yawn. He hated how tired being injured made you feel.

"Obviously, if they haven't been able to kick me out the last two times they're not getting anywhere this time."

He tried to shift over, grimacing as he moved, and trying to ignore the fact that his legs were dead weight.

"Cassian, stop, you're going to hurt yourself," she snapped at him. He continued on doggedly though, and she finally settled for helping him relocate to the side of the bed. "Happy, now?"

He gave her a crooked smile and lifted his arm. "I'd be happier if you were with me."

"The medics will freak."

"You're my wife."

She smiled. "There are still rules for wives."

"Please?"

She sighed and climbed up on the small hospital bed with him, tucking herself carefully into his side. They were silent for a few minutes before she piped up again. "Erso-Andor isn't so bad."

He gave her a soft smile and pulled her closer. It wasn't bad at all.

* * *

 **A/N: So I'm debating an epilogue, but I'm pretty happy with this final chapter. Let me know what you think!**

 **Also I was rereading some of my previous chapters and found typos and grammar mistakes in like all of them, so retroactive apologies for that - it's hard to catch errors when you know what it's supposed to say, ha. Doesn't seem to be a way to fix it without reposting chapters though, which I feel like is annoying so I've left it as is.**


	8. 2 and a Half Years Later - The Epilogue

**(2.5 Years Later)**

"This is most improbable," Kay said looming in the door of the cabin. "I will have to update my numbers."

"Kay, can you please go help Bodhi?" Cassian bit out. Jyn was at least a little relieved to see he was as annoyed as she was, considering most things didn't seem to faze Cassian one way or another.

"Bodhi Rook does not require any help at the current time," Kay stated simply. "We are still two standard hours out from landing."

"Then go check the wiring or something," Cassian said pacing another circle in their cabin.

"But then I might miss when it stops," Kay answered. "And as sleep deprived as the two of you are, you cannot be trusted to relay accurate information back to me on the exact moment when it ceases. I need that number to run future simulations and create accurate statistical predictions. All past calculations did not indicate that an organic so small had the physical capabilities of screaming and crying for this long."

Cassian rolled his eyes and started another pacing loop rocking their wailing son in his arms. Jyn let her head drop back against the wall of the ship and prayed that the force would strike her deaf. Galen was not a terribly fussy baby, but the three-day trip to Chandrila had quickly taught them he was not a fan of space travel. He'd spent most of it screaming his head off.

"Jyn, can you try feeding him again?"

"He's not hungry, he's just pissed," she answered, lifting her head.

"I'm just trying to find a solution," Cassian grated.

"There is no solution," Jyn argued. "If there was, then feeding him would have shut him up three days ago and every time since. The solution is clearly landing, and we're not doing that for another two hours."

"Very helpful," Cassian said sarcastically as he tried to distract the baby with another toy. Galen simply sniffled and then broke into another wailing shriek.

"It wasn't my idea to take a 6-month old baby across the galaxy. I was perfectly fine staying back with him on Takodana," Jyn sniped. Three days and two nights with very little sleep had left them both in less than generous moods. They'd tried everything, and nothing seemed to make the crying stop for longer than an hour or two. "But noooooo, you didn't want to be away from us for that long." Which had honestly seemed sweet when he'd said it, but in hindsight pissed her off. "And all our old friends would want to meet him, and wouldn't it just be easier for us all to go to Chandrila and you could fill out the stupid paperwork and we could see the new Galactic Senate and look for a house before we move?"

"Well I certainly didn't know he was going to turn into a rancor as soon as we lifted off," Cassian snapped back. "Next time I'm more than happy to leave you and him wherever you want."

"I also did not predict that this trip would be what ended your marriage," Kay inserted, "Statistically speaking the highest probable cause of relationship failure was death and the second was miscommunication."

"Kay, for force sake, find something else to do!"

"Don't yell at him," Jyn said rubbing her temple. "It's not Kay's fault your son is a monster."

"Oh, he's _my_ son now, is he?"

"I was a very quiet baby," Jyn argued. "So this certainly isn't my fault."

"How would you even know that?"

"My parents told me once," Jyn lied, "And as they're both dead there is no way you can prove I wasn't."

"Then my parents told me I was a quiet baby too," Cassian said. "And as they're also both dead there's no way you can disprove it. So I guess we're back to square one on who's fault this is."

He looked so offended standing there glaring at her holding their red-in-the-face son while they argued over something as inane and unknowable as whether or not they themselves had been good babies that Jyn couldn't help it. She started to laugh. And if it sounded just a bit hysterical well it was only fair. Cassian gaped at her for a second and then joined her as their son just kept right on crying.

"This trip is providing an unexpected wealth of data," Kay said staring at the scene. "I have never observed this type of emotional human breakdown before."

Jyn laughed harder and got to her feet taking Galen out of Cassian's arms and attempting her own comforting as Cassian slumped into their bunk and rubbed his face in exhaustion. "Hi Galen," Jyn cooed at the baby. "If you could shut the fuck up, we'd really appreciate it."

"Jyn," Cassian chastised tiredly.

"What?" she asked continuing in the light happy tone. "He doesn't know what I'm saying, all he knows is tone. I can say all sorts of fucking terrible words and it doesn't mean anything to you, does it Galen? No, it does not."

"She is technically correct about the child's verbal comprehension skills," Kay piped up.

Jyn shot Cassian a victorious look. "I fucking told you so," she trilled delightedly.

"Kay make a mental note of this conversation so when his first word is 'fuck' I can at least unequivocally blame that on Jyn."

"Noted," the droid said seriously and Jyn gave a helpless little giggle again as the baby continued to cry.

She plopped down next to Cassian and half-heartedly bounced the baby in her arms with very little hope that anything would make him stop. They'd tried everything they could think of over the course of the trip. "Why did we think this was a good idea again?"

"We got too confident," Cassian sighed. "In hindsight taking down the Empire while being responsible for the wellbeing of a loth-cat should not have made us think we were ready for a baby."

Jyn smacked his arm. "I meant this trip, not the kid. We were doing just fine with the kid till we took this stupid trip."

"He is not going to be a pilot, that's for sure," Cassian joked tiredly.

"It's fine," Jyn said checking Galen's diaper hopelessly. "Little Poe is already obsessed with flying, he can cart him around the galaxy if need be. Uncle Bodhi sure as hell isn't ever going to again."

"He has to fly us back," Cassian pointed out.

"I bet you good money that Bodhi bails and leaves us stranded on Chandrila," she threw back. Galen stopped crying for a second to gulp down more air and then went right back at it. "You can only press a man's loyalty so far, and potentially getting blown up in the Death Star blast coming back for us on Scarif would have been more merciful than this."

"It honestly might be easier if we have to move there in three months anyway," Cassian said. "You two could stay and I can go back for Rogue and pack up the house."

"Not a chance," Jyn said glaring. "How about the two of you stay and I'll go back for Rogue and pack up the house? It's you Leia needs anyway."

She and Cassian had been in semi-retirement since the Battle of Endor, but now that the new Galactic Senate was getting up and running Leia wanted someone she trusted who would be able to head up Intelligence for the New Republic. Just because the war was winding down didn't mean there weren't still Imperial loyalists and other less than honorable groups looking to snap up their piece of the galaxy in the ensuing power vacuum. Intelligence would always be a necessary division, and Cassian was the best man for the job. He'd already been mainly doing it for the Alliance by the end of their time with the rebellion, since his injuries from that last mission where he'd been tortured had taken him out of the field. The only reason they'd left the rebellion at all was because the routine medical evaluations for all ground forces after Endor had revealed that Jyn was a month pregnant. Cassian had nearly worked himself into hysterics when he'd realized she'd gone into battle pregnant, not that she'd had any clue. They'd been trying, but it wasn't as if she had presented with any signs yet, and despite Kay's overzealous comments about baby potentials she couldn't very well beg off her job because she could maybe perhaps be pregnant every time they had sex. After that they'd decided the rebellion could handle the last of it without them.

"As long as I don't have to fly anywhere with him then fine," Cassian grumbled.

"And you wanted a big family," Jyn snorted.

"I take it back," Cassian groaned. "One and done. You didn't have any siblings and you turned out fine."

Jyn lifted an eyebrow at that and grabbed a tissue to wipe snot from her screaming child's face. "You're like the only person who would define the way I turned out as 'fine'."

"I don't think that had anything to do with your lack of siblings."

"Who knows? Maybe if I'd had a younger sibling to protect I'd have gone straight after Saw dumped us and made a living at something respectable. You'd have tracked us down to some farm somewhere instead of Wobani," she teased.

"Are you telling me if we don't have another kid, Galen is going to end up in a prison labor camp?"

"It's a possibility," she said with a shrug, tapping through the datapad next to her and trying to find something that might entertain the boy.

"The probability is very low," Kay interjected.

Jyn pulled up some loud brightly colored cartoon and resituated Galen in her lap holding up the datapad and praying to the force. The baby took no notice and continued to howl. "Ok, fine you win, no more kids."

"Maybe in a couple years," Cassian said. "When this one has stopped screaming."

Jyn smirked. This trip aside there was no way Cassian was going to settle for one child. He was obsessed with Galen and once Jyn had worn him down with her prodding had admitted he wanted a big family if he could have one and if she had any interest. She wasn't sure about his definition of big, but she could certainly manage two, maybe three if he continued to be as helpful as he had been with the first baby. Jyn curled into Cassian's side and sighed as Cassian wrapped his arm around her.

"You're both going to fall asleep," Kay assessed, "despite the noise."

It was possible, Jyn thought tiredly. She'd slept through bombings before and they were both so sleep deprived at this point that even Galen's constant wailing was eventually going to become just another irksome background noise to overcome.

"You'll accidentally smother the child," Kay said with that tone that sounded like sighing. "And then you'll have to start all over again."

"Kay, we're fine," Cassian argued perfunctorily. His head leaned against the top of hers and he yawned.

"Give me the offspring before you crush him," Kay said clunking into the room and reaching out. Jyn glanced at Cassian, but he just shrugged against her. Kay had never shown any interest in holding the baby. He'd taken one look at Galen when he was born and declared him useless for at least the next six to ten years. Cassian had had to jab her in the ribs several times over the past few months when she'd teased Kay every time he took an interest or commented on Galen's development. In retaliation, every time the baby reached a milestone faster than he should, even if it was only by a week, Kay delighted in attributing it to Cassian's superior genetics.

At this point Jyn was willing to try anything and lifted the baby towards the hulking droid. Kay reached out and swooped Galen up into the air making the baby inhale and go silent, looking around warily from his new vantage point. Jyn felt herself holding her own breath in the quiet.

Galen made a warbling noise and Jyn braced herself for the next screaming fit. It never came though as Kay shifted the baby higher through the air. Galen's lip trembled and Cassian grabbed her arm bracing himself. Instead the baby laughed and stretched out his chubby arms reaching for Kay's face. Kay raised the baby again, and Galen clapped his hands and let out a happy little noise.

"Apparently he's a fan of heights though," Cassian observed sounding relieved.

"Kay, you magnificent droid," Jyn praised grinning. "Have I told you recently that I love you?"

"You have never told me that," Kay said shifting the baby closer and letting him grab at his face. "And I do not think it is sincere now."

"Kay, I've never been more sincere in my life," Jyn argued. "I love you. If you asked me to dump Cassian right now and run away with you I would."

"I am also willing to dump Jyn and run away with you if you can keep that baby quiet," Cassian offered.

The droid seemed to contemplate it, the second offer probably being the more appealing of the two. "While at one time the offer would have been tempting, you have developed a codependency issue over the years that makes you quite unpleasant to be with after extended periods without Jyn Andor." The droid had never quite taken to the hyphenated last name, and Jyn hadn't put up much of a fight after the first month or so. "However I am willing to keep the child silent if this is all that is required." He raised the baby in another sweeping gesture and Galen chortled. While it would have worn out human arms in no time, Kay didn't have the same concerns.

"I'm getting you that optical upgrade you wanted," Cassian said laying back in the bunk and dragging Jyn with him. "I don't care how much it costs."

"Me neither," Jyn said already feeling herself drifting off. "If it's too expensive we can always steal it."

She heard Cassian mutter her name in rebuke, but there was no heat to it. She vaguely heard Kay stride out of the room and wondered if his creator would be horrified to know the dangerous Imperial security droid was now amusing a 6 month old before surrendering to sleep.

* * *

Cassian groaned as someone shook his shoulder harder. "What?"

"Just thought you might want to know we've landed," Bodhi said with a laugh. "Your son screamed through the entire thing, but we kept him in the cockpit. You're welcome."

"I'd say I'm sorry," Cassian said shaking himself awake and sitting up in the bunk. "But I'm not. You volunteered to pick us up after all."

"Yeah, but that's because every time I've met Galen has been planet side and he's always been a normal human baby and not whatever dark side possessed creature this thing was."

"Is he still screaming?"

"No, he basically stopped the second we touched down," Bodhi answered with a shrug. "Should we wake her?"

Cassian glanced back at a drooling Jyn and shook his head. "Let her get a few more minutes. I'll pack everything up and get Galen ready, and we can wake her when we're ready to depart."

They left the cabin and Cassian barely held back his grin at Kay now holding a sleeping baby against his shoulder that was drooling very much like his mother. "This is not good for my joints."

"Right," Cassian said fondly, reaching out to take his son and praying the boy would continue to sleep. Galen had apparently finally hit peak exhaustion after days of being a terror and came limply into his arms.

"Here, I can take him now that he's back to normal," Bodhi said reaching out. "You should probably take a quick sonic before we go."

Cassian looked down at his disheveled appearance and tried to remember if either him or Jyn had showered the entire trip. The fact that he couldn't remember didn't bode well for it ever having happened. "Sure, that'd be great. Thank you, Bodhi."

Almost an hour later with both he and Jyn showered and slightly more alive, he put his still thankfully sleeping son into the baby carrier and slid the straps over his arms tucking Galen against his chest.

"We're going to be late, you know," Jyn commented.

"I don't care," Cassian said with a slight shrug. "Leia can deal with it."

"She's likely to die if she ever heard punctual Cassian Andor say that," Jyn teased.

"She can get back to me when she has a kid," Cassian argued as he picked the baby bag up too before Bodhi snatched it from him and slung it over his own shoulder. He gave the man a grateful nod.

"Don't say that around Han," Jyn advised, "He'll panic."

"You say that as if that won't encourage me to say it," Cassian said with a quick smile.

"The two of you are impossible," Jyn grouched. "You'd think after all this time you'd have found some common ground."

"You will always be our only common ground," he said kissing her head and enjoying the eye roll that followed.

"Considering the way the two of you started out and the way Han and Leia started out, Jyn, you should just count yourself lucky it's not the way Han and Cassian flirt," Bodhi said grinning.

Jyn laughed and looped her arm through Bodhi's free arm. "That remains to be seen. Perhaps they're on the cusp of a torrid affair. Is that why we're really here, Cassian? For you to meet your lover?"

"Gross, you'll give our son nightmares," Cassian shot back making an effort to make a disgusted face that he knew would make her grin. He'd been making an active effort to let his emotions show on his face, if only around his family.

Jyn smiled at him and stuck out her tongue before turning to the looming droid. "Kay, are you sure you want to stay with the ship?"

"Someone should and I still make many sentients nervous." It was true enough. On the Alliance base Kay had been well known, but on new Republic planets where his presence couldn't be easily explained he tended to make the inhabitants jumpy, even if he had asked Cassian to paint over the Imperial insignia months ago when infiltration was no longer a necessary function. "I also do not think I will be any real use on this mission as it is unlikely you will encounter hostiles other than your child."

Jyn just laughed and gave the droid's arm an affectionate pat. "You're in a better mood," Bodhi noted as they made their way down the ramp into the hanger.

"Yeah, well sleep can do that for a person," Jyn said pleased. "I don't think I've been that sleep deprived since before I joined up with the rebellion. I'm never taking another trip with that kid ever."

"Barring the trip back," Bodhi joked. "And then the one moving here eventually."

"You seem pleased for someone who's been on this misery ride with us and has to fly us out."

"I plan on challenging Solo to a game of sabacc with flying you guys home on the bargaining table," Bodhi said with a shrug. "Unless his skills have gotten significantly better, you'll be his and Chewie's problem."

Jyn made an affronted noise and punched Bodhi's arm. "Some uncle you are."

"Mr. and Mrs. Andor?" a voice interrupted.

"You've got the Mrs.," Bodhi said grinning and pushing Jyn a step forward. Bodhi took almost as much amusement as Kay did anytime someone tried to refer to or treat Jyn like a housewife. "The Mr. is behind. I'm just the pilot."

"Ah, you must be Mr. Rook," the man said. "I'm Jorno. I'm here to take you to the senate to meet Senator Organa."

"Weird how she's not Mrs. Solo," Jyn grumbled as the man led the way out of the spaceport.

"I offered to use Erso," Cassian said with a laugh. Jyn just grunted at that.

"It's about a ten minute walk from here," the man said taking no note of their conversation. "Or about five minutes by speeder."

Cassian frowned looking down at the top of his son's head. "We don't have a speeder seat."

Jyn snorted. "I think he'd survive a five minute ride, but we can walk. I need to stretch my legs anyway."

He knew she was only humoring him, but he didn't care. Jyn could tease all she wanted, he'd always been a stickler for safety protocols and it'd served him well this far. He certainly didn't see any reason to stop when it involved their son. Although he could admit he'd possibly gone a little overboard with the baby proofing prior to Galen even being able to crawl. Jyn still complained about the lock on the toilet seat almost daily.

"Cute baby," the man said looking over. "I hear they're calling them victory kids."

"What do you mean?" Jyn asked frowning.

"All the babies after the Empire's defeat at Endor," Jorno said with a shrug. "They're calling them victory kids. I know like five couples who have had 'special surprises' all the same age now like yours."

Jyn's eyes narrowed and Cassian reached out to snag her wrist. He asked a question about the architecture on the planet and got Jorno off on another topic, but Jyn shot him a look that said she knew exactly what he was doing. It wasn't his fault that all their friends had teased her about Galen being an accident, and refused to believe her when she'd said they'd been trying for a baby. Even Bodhi had only reluctantly agreed to believe them after he saw how riled Jyn got about it. Kay had been the only one to back them up, but it'd come with such an embarrassing mathematical analysis of Jyn's fertility days and when and where they'd been able to have sex that Cassian had finally had to tell the droid that while they appreciated that he believed them, they didn't need him to supply proof.

He kept up the idle chatter with Jorno and Jyn sulked next to him. Honestly if she'd just laughed it off ages ago, people would have given up teasing her about it. When he'd tried to point that out though she'd snapped at him that he was fine with it because no one thought he was the irresponsible party, so he'd left it alone after that. Their guide left them at the senate entrance and directed them up to the 44th floor.

"He didn't mean anything by it, Jyn," Bodhi piped up before Cassian could. They headed to the security check in and Jyn grumbled about presumptions under her breath. "I mean he is a victory baby, regardless of whether he was planned or not. It's just the timing."

"He _was_ planned," Jyn huffed again. "I don't know how many times I have to explain that I do know how to use contraceptives."

Cassian nearly groaned when the woman at the security desk spotted Galen and cooed, "I just love victory babies!"

Jyn gave a muted growled next to him. "Can you take him?" Cassian asked already slipping the baby carrier strap off his shoulder. Jyn shot him a look. "My hip is acting up."

"Liar," she said, but still reached for the carrier. She'd never take the chance that his hip actually was hurting him. "You can't fool me. You just want me to carry him so I can't punch anyone."

"Just let them admire our handsome, peacefully sleeping son," Cassian said with a smile as she slipped the carrier on and Galen nestled into her chest.

"You think you're so slick," Jyn argued as they stepped into the elevator. "Your super spy skills are getting rusty, old man. I'm on to you, and if you think this is going to stop me you have another thing coming. I'm adding the baby carrier into training starting tomorrow."

"You are not training with our son strapped to your chest," Cassian argued as Bodhi laughed.

"Of course not," Jyn said firmly. "I'll start with a bag of flour in the carrier."

"A bag of flour is not the equivalent of our child."

Jyn shrugged. "It'll help me get the weight distributions right."

"Jyn."

"What? It's a useful skill to have. What if I have Galen one day and we get attacked and you aren't there to help."

"Use a blaster," Cassian said rolling his eyes.

"And deafen him?" Jyn asked in mock horror. "What kind of mother am I?"

"And what danger do you think you're encountering anyway? Have you forgotten we've basically won? Or that you're retired?" He knew Jyn was too active to not eventually want some sort of job again and that considering their contacts it would probably end up being something for the new Republic, and she was certainly not a politician, but he was hoping it would just be training troops or teaching of some sort. Just something that didn't put her in the middle of blaster fire anymore.

"There's still smugglers and all sorts of nasty people about," Jyn huffed stepping off the elevator. "Case and point," she said grinning at Solo who was draped across the fancy waiting room seating.

"Kid! What took you?" the man asked getting to his feet. "Thought you were supposed to be in an hour ago. Leia got called into a meeting so I said I'd wait for you."

"A baby often slows you down," Jyn said grinning at him. "I'm sure you'll discover that soon enough."

Solo blanched a bit at that and cocked his head to get a better look at the sleeping baby. "He's a cute little mistake if nothing else," Solo said and Cassian sighed.

"You see what I'm saying," Jyn shot at him over her shoulder. "I start training tomorrow."

"Ignore him," Cassian advised resting a hand on her lower back comfortingly. "He's being obnoxious on purpose."

"Listen to Captain Daddy, kid, no need to get your panties in a knot."

"That's General Daddy, to you," Cassian shot back.

Jyn laughed and turned to Bodhi. "You're right, they're flirting, they should get a room and work out the sexual tension." Cassian gave her a nasty look that Solo mirrored.

"Cassian! Jyn! You've arrived," Leia said coming into the room in all her white finery and regal demeanor. She looked entirely in her element, which was impressive because she'd looked just as in her element years ago in the snowy hallways of Hoth. "Why have they got those looks on their faces?"

"They're upset because we've figured out that all their fighting is foreplay, and they're hot for each other."

"Jyn, honestly," Cassian sighed.

Leia sent the two men an appraising look and then shrugged. "They'd make an attractive enough couple. Now let's see this victory baby."

"Not you too," Bodhi groaned.

"What?"

"Galen was planned. I was already pregnant on Endor," Jyn huffed. "He was not drunkenly created in some Ewok village."

"So what?" Leia asked with a shrug, tucking her fingers into the edge of the carrier to get a better look. "Even if you were trying it was because you thought we might win. So victory baby."

"We _were_ trying," Jyn said fiercely.

"And I believe you," Leia said magnanimously.

Solo snorted next to her. "Then I guess you should give up that money you won from betting on when she'd get knocked up."

"The betting pool didn't specifically say it had to be an accident," Leia said primly.

"Leia, you didn't," Cassian groaned.

"What? Besides fighting the Empire there wasn't a lot of forms of entertainment on base. You know that well enough. Can I hold him?"

"Oh, now you want to hold the mistake?" Jyn asked pulling away.

"Oh come on, don't be like that," Leia pouted. "Hand him over."

"I'm retired," Jyn argued. "Don't have to take commands from you."

"I'll just order your husband to let me hold his baby."

"Haven't signed the papers yet," Cassian said with a shrug. "And I'm more afraid of her than I am of you."

"Bodhi," Leia said with a pleading tone.

The pilot held up his hands. "I'm not getting in the middle of this. Besides that, my vote is to leave the kid right where he is so he continues sleeping and not screaming, and I can continue to like being his uncle."

"I'll use the money I won to buy you something baby-related for your new apartment here," Leia offered.

"Sounds like we're getting a nanny droid," Jyn crowed.

"Kay will dismantle it," Cassian noted. "He'll have some statistical reason for doing so, but it won't survive a week."

"Stupid possessive droid," Jyn muttered, but her smile argued her words. "Ok, what else is super expensive? There is this optical upgrade we promised Kay."

"You know what," Leia said crossing her arms. "I take it back. I don't even care if I get to hold him."

"Sounds good," Jyn said sliding the baby carrier off her arms and shifting to lift their still blissfully sleeping son out of it. "Han get over here." Both he and Solo started protesting at the same time. "Shut up," Jyn commanded. "Cassian, he's not going to drop him. Han, you're being an idiot. Come over here and tell me how cute my son is, you nerf herder."

"I'm not really a baby person," Han argued edging away.

"Don't tell me you're scared?" Jyn taunted.

"I'm not scared."

"You look scared to me."

"Give me the kid, kid," Solo demanded reaching out. Cassian resisted the urge to roll his eyes, some things never changed and the two of them being ridiculous seemed to be one of those things.

For all their smack talk, Jyn carefully maneuvered their son into Solo's arms and the smuggler was more cautious with the boy than Cassian would have predicted. Galen shifted in Solo's arms, made a sniffling noise and blinked his eyes open staring up at the smuggler. Cassian braced himself and felt Jyn tense next to him in anticipation of the monster from their flight making reappearance. Galen just blew a spit bubble and then went back to sleep.

"He's got your eyes, Jyn," Solo said, quietly staring down at the boy. Jyn hummed a happy little affirmative and leaned into Cassian's side. Cassian hoped all their children got her eyes. "Falcon still would have been the better name."

"Sorry to disappoint," Jyn said with a laugh. "He likes you though."

Cassian thought that was going a little far considering Galen had simply decided to go back to sleep after spending days screaming, but didn't feel like starting an argument now. Besides despite all the smuggler's bravado he was clearly gentle with the little boy in his arms. Cassian glanced over at Leia and nearly laughed at the fierce princess, leader of the rebellion, looking so soft at the sight of her husband holding a baby in his arms. Yeah, he had a betting pool he'd like to start on when they'd be having a kid of their own.

"Of course he likes me," Solo finally said. "Who wouldn't like me? The kid just has good taste."

"The kid is exhausted. Apparently he hates spaceflight enough to scream and cry for three days straight. He'd probably let a sith hold him right now," Cassian said because apparently peacetime made him a little petty after all.

"Yeah, I forgot to say we live here now, because I'm not going to survive the trip back," Jyn said with a laugh, elbowing Cassian in the ribs.

"It was probably the ship you were on," Solo said rocking the baby slightly. "I bet he'd love the Falcon."

"Sounds to me like he's volunteering to take you back," Bodhi interjected.

"Really, Bodhi?" Jyn asked glaring at the pilot.

"I'm not putting my son on that hunk of junk," Cassian said calmly, if only to see the look on Solo's face.

"Oh, no, we're not starting that up," Leia commanded.

"You expect me not to defend her honor?" Solo demanded, glaring daggers at Cassian.

"At least give me the baby before you start flailing," Leia said, reaching her arms out. Han passed the baby over and started listing off the Falcon's admirable assets, which quickly came to an abrupt halt when Galen woke up, noted his new holder and promptly burst into tears.

Leia made a soothing noise and rocked the baby in her arms, but Galen just kept on crying to Cassian's mortification.

"Wouldn't mind a sith, huh?" Solo gloated.

"He's probably just hungry or wet," Cassian argued.

"Or he takes after Jyn and has problems with authority figures," Bodhi snickered next to them.

Jyn smacked the pilot's arm. "He's just cranky and tired and off his schedule," Jyn said with a shrug. "You'll probably have better luck with him tomorrow." She reached out and took the crying boy back talking to him soothingly till he settled down again. "We should probably head over to the hotel anyway."

"You and Bodhi go on ahead," Cassian said. "I can handle the paperwork now if it's ready."

"Right down to business General Andor," Leia said with a small smile. "I'd like to introduce you to some of the Intelligence officers who will be working under you in a few months time as well."

"Come on, kid, I'll take you to the hotel," Solo offered shrugging on his coat.

"Is it in walking distance?" Cassian asked.

"Don't even start," Jyn said firmly. "We'll be fine regardless of how we get there. You worry too much."

And was it his fault if he worried constantly about his happiness being taken away? About losing the small family they'd made and the joy that came with it? They'd fought so hard to get here, he couldn't bare the thought of something stupid ending it all. "Statistically speaking speeder crashes have probably killed more people than the Empire ever did," he argued.

"And now you sound like Kay," Jyn said with a snort. "Come on Bodhi. Let's go before he really works himself into a tizzy." She pushed to her tiptoes giving Cassian a peck on the lips before she started for the elevator. Bodhi trailed behind giving Cassian a rueful shrug.

Solo clapped a hand on Cassian's shoulder as he started after them. "I won't let anything happen to them, General," he said in a serious tone.

Cassian gave the smuggler a small nod. Jyn really always would be their only common ground. "Shall we?" he asked Leia, shaking off the last of his concern. There was work to be done if he wanted his son to grow up in a galaxy at peace.

* * *

The holodrama was ridiculous. Even he could admit that, but he hadn't been able to find something as good as _The Princess Spy_ since it's final season a year ago. Thus he'd waded through a lot of ridiculous crap. There was a fine line between enjoyable sappy drama and a secret evil identical twin infidelity plot line. It certainly hadn't been enough to keep Jyn's attention as she was currently snoring lightly with her head in his lap. He'd just have to keep searching.

Bodhi grinned and gave a small wave as the hotel door opened and Cassian stepped inside. It was funny to see how quickly the man could morph from General to husband to father and back again. Right now Cassian looked as serious as he ever did coming out of mission briefs on any of the rebel bases they'd been stationed on, but the second his eyes lit on his son sleeping in the hotel issued crib and his wife passed out next to Bodhi in the bed his face softened.

"How long did they make it?" he asked quietly.

"She woke Galen up to feed him and bathe him in the hopes he'll sleep through most of the night, and then he was out like a light," Bodhi answered in the same muted tone. "She said she'd watch this holodrama with me, but she barely made it through the opening credits."

"Any good?"

"You'd hate it."

" _The Princess Spy_ grew on me," Cassian joked dropping a bag on the holo stand and pulling his boots off.

"Yeah, but that's because that was actually good. This is schlock," Bodhi shrugged.

"And you're still watching it because?"

Bodhi pointed to the bedside table and the remote just out of reach. "Couldn't get to it without disturbing her and I didn't have the heart after that flight. Honestly, I don't know how the two of you did it. At least I could close myself off in the cockpit and muffle the worst of it."

Cassian padded over to the crib and ran a hand over his son's head. Bodhi didn't even bother to hide his grin. Who would have thought two broken men who met on Jedha all those years ago would get to have peace like this? Who would have thought hands responsible for so many deaths could also be so gentle with new life? Bodhi wondered where Cassian would be if he'd never met Jyn and shook that dark thought away. All is as the force wills it, as Chirrut would have said. Bodhi only regretted that the guardians hadn't lived to be a part of this.

"Jyn thinks they're all tiny Jedi," Cassian said staring down at the baby.

"Huh?"

"It's her working theory," Cassian explained with a small chuckle. "That all babies are tiny Jedi and can Jedi mind trick you into liking them despite the crying and lack of sleep. Thinks that you're more open to the force when you're little and as you grow and get suspicious that's when people lose the ability."

"I'd buy it," Bodhi said already thinking of ways to further prove the theory. It was a very nice notion if nothing else. He almost wanted to wake Jyn up to discuss it.

Cassian snorted. "The two of you are ridiculous. Are you really going to make Solo fly us back?"

"Nah," Bodhi answered with a shrug. "But I am buying sound cancelling headphones before we leave. And I'll chip in for that optical upgrade you promised Kay if he'll hold Galen often on the flight back."

"You're a good man, Bodhi," Cassian said making his way over to the bed and putting just as affectionate of a hand on his sleeping wife's head. Jyn grumbled something in her sleep and turned into his touch. And that was a sort of unconscious trust that Bodhi hadn't ever thought the raw damaged woman he'd met all those years ago would be able to offer someone either. If anything made him believe in the force it was these two finding each other despite all the odds. And maybe also that he got to find them. That in the moment he'd lost his home world and any blood relations he had left he had unknowingly gained a new family too. It didn't negate the loss, but it certainly made it more bearable.

"So are you," Bodhi said smiling lightly when Cassian froze. The man never would take a compliment well especially if it came from anyone other than Jyn. "I'm glad to have you as a brother-in-law."

And maybe Cassian's softens extended to him as well based on the look that elicited from the man. "Same back at you. Come on, you must be stiff stuck there. Jyn, you gotta wake up for a moment." He shook her shoulder and the woman in question grumbled and rolled into a ball burrowing her head into Bodhi's side. "Jyn," the spy cajoled. "I brought food, and none of those crappy food rations from the ship."

Jyn rolled over on his thigh and cracked an eye open. "What kind?"

"Pasta with meatballs and bread, but you have to give Bodhi his leg back."

"Galen?"

"Still out like a light," Cassian said heading over to the bag of food as Jyn yawned and sat up stretching. Bodhi shook out his leg and stretched himself getting up to use the 'fresher.

He came back out to them divvying up food and a plate thrust in his hands. "You didn't have to get me anything."

"Consider it an apology," Cassian said as he joined Jyn who was already digging into her food sitting cross-legged on the hotel bed. "What terrible thing are we watching tonight?"

"There's a new series about the heroes of the rebellion we could make fun of?" Bodhi suggested.

Cassian gave him a horrified look. "Like about people we actually know?"

"Yeah, the girl who plays Leia isn't bad."

"We're not in it, are we?"

Bodhi snorted. "You know better than anyone else how the Alliance smoothed Scarif over and buried anything that has to do with you and Intelligence. Besides nobody wants to watch a bunch of heroes die. We'd be lucky to be background characters in the show."

"Thank the force," Jyn said around a meatball. "It doesn't hurt that the actor playing Luke is hot." She leered at him and Bodhi rolled his eyes. Luke and he had had an on again off again flirtation, but the man had bigger problems than focusing on a relationship considering he was trying to win a war and restart the whole Jedi order.

"Shut up, and watch the show," Bodhi said plopping down next to them. With him still working full time for the Alliance as a pilot they hadn't had time to do this in a long time. It felt just like old times, other than the baby snoozing away in the corner. So maybe a little better than old times. Given the second that baby woke up again he was abandoning them for his own hotel room two floors down, a specific request he'd made at the front desk that the happy couple never needed to know about. All the same, tomorrow he was going to check with Leia if there was a way to transfer his base of operations to Chandrila. After all family needed to stick together.

* * *

 **A/N: So I really went back and forth on writing this. Struggled to write pages of a honeymoon/evacuation of Hoth epilogue before I had the realization that it just wasn't working unless I was going to do a whole other story in the series, which I really didn't have enough material for and thought about giving up. Then I just got the idea of Cassian making Jyn take the baby carrier to stop her from getting in a fight over whether the baby was planned or not and this was born. I'm actually quite pleased with how it turned out, and I hope you all like it too!**


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